Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 501 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

Pusey at inn - a thin . e --* ; _ os . < ~ * = : — d re i - : : ’! 6 , ; ~—- §pringsteel Steve. foot of ground in the vicinity; O’Meara’s hired | as you say, and a few subsequent inquiries would two-seated wagon was at the door, and it was at their suggestion that the particular spot in Bleak Hollow was chosen for the interment of the murdered old man. What followed you al- ready know.” Edgar drew a long breath, as if the recital of his dreadful story had brought him some relief. His wife was nestling all the closer to his side, but Mr. Gray’s face was stern, and his fore- head was wrinkled with thought. **T do not hesitate to say that I hoped for you to come out even better than you bave done, Edgar, according to your own showing,” said he, ‘** True, you were no murderer, but you were a robber, besides being an accessory after the fact in the graver crime. However, there is much, very much to extenuate your com- plicity, and the only proven is how to make the best of it. I shall, therefore, cross-examine you on some certain points.” “Go on, sir!” said the young husband sub- missively. But here Edna interposed. “Wait!” she cried. ‘Is it not better that my father should first be told of our experience with the double last evening?” The old detective made an impatient move- ment. ™ ‘That double again!” he snorted, “Oh, but do not refresh your incredulity to hastily, papa, You will have the testimony of a new witness to combat now, for Edgar saw the murdered man’s double, as well as I, and heard it speak, too,” Mr. Gray turned a look of astonished inquiry upon his son-in-law. ‘It is true, sir,” said the latter, gravely; and he therefore recited the incident with the utmost simplicity. The old detective listened with contracted brows, and it was more than evident that his hard-healed horse-sense was undergoing a series of mild shocks, to say the least. ** You are as little credulous as I, Edgar, of the supernatural,” said, he, after a long pause, ‘‘and, from what you tell me, I am bound to think there may be some substance at bottom of this seeming shadowiness, Tell me just what you think of this double, as you call it.” “If a double, it is a eof substantial one,” was the prompt response. “It was simpl my grandfather’s self in flesh and blood, or his living, breathing, exact counterpart. I’dswear to it! Mr. Gray presently aa to his knee, and his long sa lip took on its shrewdest expression as his forehead partly cleared, ‘* By jingo! you must be right,” he exclaimed. ‘‘There is no other explanation for it. Let us See} oe grandfather couldn’t have had a twin-brother, his exact image, I suppose, and the world at large be none the wiser?” ‘* Tmpossible !’ “ Or improbable?” heal can't imagine the possibility of such a sir! ‘* Neither can I exactly; but the domain of the Possible is very wide and so is that of the imagination, for that matter.” “True, but—” ‘* Hold on, my boy! Now, granting the poe bility of the case—even supposing its probability who would be most likely to set the question to rest?” ‘* Miss Raw.” ‘** Ah, to be sure. The woman has sort of made herself scarce of late, I understand.” ‘She is living somewhere in White Plains, dress-making, | believe. My lawyer there has orders to pay her fifty dollars a month on my account.” “And very kindly—I may add exceptionally generous—of you, my boy !—perhaps better than the old petticoated grenadier deserves. How- ever, we will drop this branch of the complica- tion for the present,” ‘* With all my heart, sir. I doubtif we can ever make head or tail of it.” ‘ - GHAPTER XXIII. SHADOW OR SUBSTANCE—WHICH? §SPRINGSTEEL STEVE continued his cross-ex- ination of bis son-in-law “Byven at the last, I infer,” said he, “that -O’Meara was kept in ignorance of pees true name and of your relationship with the miser?” ‘*He was; and there was no reason why be _ should have suspected anything of the sort.” ‘““ How then, think you, has he been able to areas you in your present name and posi- ou “Chiefly by chance, I imagine, . What ex- actly brought him back to this vicinity of his crime there is no telling, but it was certainly Je) me in pursuit of me. He was the man whom a descried eying me so fixedly from the edge of the wood, that time we were out driving together, and whom you will remember you ran bac to get a glimpse of, but without suc- cess. _. * Alls clear, then. He must have renealnes ¢ “you on the instant then, by the merest chance, f « - reer © ‘ing off that he might have put him hot on your trail,” ‘* A miserably-unlucky chance for me!” mut- tered Edgar, despondingly. ‘* Don’t be too sure of that,” said the detec- tive, with a sudden geniality that was some- what cheering, since his moods were always more or less significant of something substantial behind him, ‘‘It may be the clearing-up thun- der shower,” ‘* Im going to believe so, anyway!” interposed Edna, hopefully. ‘* Now as to Swart-Black and Timmons-Sim- mons. Any idea what has become of them?” ‘* Yes,” replied Willard, ‘I instituted exten- sive secret inqniries concerning them directly after my return from abroad.” ** With success?” “Yes. Black went to the Far West, was first a ranchman, then a cowboy, and finally a stage- robber. He was killed, while trying to murder his keeper with a shoe-kmfe in the California State Prison, two years ago.” ** And Simmons, the sailor?” **A desperate sea-rover! I traced him to Shanghai, where he was in hospital with an intermittent fever, and expected to die at any hour,” : ‘* Let us hope that he didn’t die,” “Why, father?” asked Edna, **He might possibly be useful to us some day, if alive, kicking, and, still better, contrite. But my old head is already hard at work in a way that [ cannot undertake to explain. Now, my dears, you both want to keep stiff upper lips, and place your trust in the old man—Spring- steel Steve that was. For the present, I am very hungry, and luncheon ought to be served by this time. Come, my boy!” And, as they quitted the library, he put his arm around his son-in-law with a simple gesture that went yet further than his words, in heart- ening the master of Willard Manse, Soon after lunch, the old poser begged to have his favorite horse and buggy driven around for him, and carelessly announced before driv- op in on Miss Raw for a confidential chat, ‘*T shall probably be back in good season,” he smilingly remarked, with his parting nod. ‘ But don’t be anxious if the dear woman should insist on my staying to tea,” Edna ciasped ber hands in an access of thank- fulness, ** Oh, how fortunate that we have my father so earnestly enlisted in our cause!” she ex- claimed, | The couple were looking after the disappear- ing equipage from the piazza ** My cause, you mean!” said Edgar, gloomily. ** You have committed no crinie—have soiled your soul with no criminal associations! Yours is but the cruel stain that comes of contact with myself—the selfish, the cowardly wretch that so deliberately deluded you into his unworthy heart!” ** Don’t! don’t!” And, with a quivering lip, she looked beseechingly into his passion-torn, already—it seemed to her—fast-aging face. ‘*T can’t help it!” he cried. ‘* My God! can I ever look you in the eyes again as heretofore? I fear not—I fear not!” She took him by the hand, keeping back her tears as best she might. : ** Come!” said she, impressively. ‘‘ That wild question shall be effectually answered, my bhus- baud, buf not bere,” As they were passing up the stairs they met the nurse descending, and a sign from her was a sufficient response to the young mother’s in- quiring glance. Yes; the baby was asleep. As the fond parents hovered, with clasped hands, over the cradle, a dream-smile rippled over the sweet, cherub face, that was soon followed by an au- dible little laugh and crow from somewhere out of his mysterious little dreamland. ‘* Look me in the eyes ng Pap beloved!” whispered Kdna, ‘‘ Oh! with this lovely pledge uniting us forevermore, for better and for worse, in fortune or misfortune, have you not a better right to do so now, that all is known, than in our heretoforé fool's paradise, when that serpent deception was between our hearts?” His only answer was to clasp her to bis un- worthy heart, and for the second and last time in his manhood the unhappy Edgar Willard found relief in tears. It. was only after he had put up his horse in the village of White Plains that Mr. Gray re- membered he had forgotten to cbtam Miss Raw’s address; but he was speedily set aright by his old friend, Sheriff Langley, whom he chanced upon soon after bis arrival, **Why don’t you drop around to the manse occasionally, Jake?’ inquired Gray, as they were separating. ‘‘ They often ask about you, and wish you’d be more friendly.” The sheriff scratched bis head, and looked somewhat embarrassed. * As his friend knew that he had well got over bis disappointment regarding Edna’s marriage to Willard, be was slightly mystified till Lang- ley managed to say: . “Fact_is, Springsteel, it ain’t, any fault of mine if I have appeared a little offish; but you » . , § & Ee oe kee ae we ee O. EEE oe SS see—ur—there’s some one else now as ain’t such good friends with Mrs,Willard, and as might somehow object.” ‘“*Oh!” said Gray, alighting upon the signifi- cance of it all with his accustomed readiness, ‘* What, old fellow! is it Miss Libby this time, and once again?” The sheriff blushed and smiled. **Good-luck, old man!” continued the old de- tective. ‘‘Since you're bound to be a marrying man, pray tell Miss Libby from me that Edna still remembers her with nothing but good-will, and it’s her own fault if she keeps up the buff, There’s enough of the dear, pretty creauture for her to keep better-natured than she seems in- clined to,” But Mr, Gray was destined to receive yet an- other reminder of the colossal young beauty be- fore the day should wear away. ‘“* Now what might that be, ma’m?” he genial- ly inquired of Miss Raw, a little later, ‘ Is it a patent flounced balloon, or a uew gown for Barnum’s pet giantess and fat gal, rolled into one? He was making himself familiarly at home in Miss Raw’s village apartments, on the slender- estencouragement, and in a happy-go-lucky, here-I-am-again marner that was a matter of bewildering astonishment and resentment to no one so much as the saturnine and iron-vis- aged spinster herself. ** What do you want here, Mr. Superanimated Thief-Ketcher?”’ she snatched out,> raspily, in- stead of paying any attention to bis inquiry. ‘* How many times air you goin’ to let me ask that question without answerin’ me, I want to know?” In lieu of responding, the oid fellow shrugged his shoulders good-bumoredly, and, still with the look of intense curiosity on his shrewd face, got up from the one easy-chair of the apartment which he had unceremoniously appropriated. Then, gingerly picking up the half-finished garment that had elicited his opening remark, he beld it at arm’s-length for an instant, and then burst into a sort of roar of triumph. ‘*Pyve got it!’ he yelled. ‘‘Itisn’t a balloon at all, Miss Raw—no, nor a Barnum’s fat gal’s fit either—it’s Miss Libby Webb’s new dress, and I’m betting high on it! Ain’t I right now, old girl?” ; She tore it from his grasp, with a panther- like bound, her bard face blazing with : ‘* Yes, it is, you old fool!” she half-screamed; “end what isthat to you? There! Now will you either tell me what you want and git out, or shall [I hev to call a constable to hev you chucked out by the neck?” ‘“*Why, my dear good woman!” in apparent ard rig deprecation; ‘tas the only constable within call is Sheriff Jake Langley himself, and he bappens to be an old chum of mine—” ** Don’t dear good woman me, you old fox!” she interrupted. ‘‘ How dare you purtend to be fam’war with me, when you don’t skeercely know me, nohow? Get out of my house, sir!” But the old detective bad by this time coolly settled back in the lone easy-chair, and was re- turning her tigrish glare with a certain intelli- gence in his assumed idiocy of expression that was exerting a somewhat changed, if not an altogether calming effect upon the tempest he had aroused, , In her rage she fairly clutched him by the shoulder and shook him. ‘* Air you goin’ to tell me what brings you here?” she hoarsely repeated. “Why, certainly, Miss Raw!” with sudden affability. ** What is it, then?” ** To find out what you know about the mur- dered miser’s twin brother, who amuses him- 45.'2 by masquerading as the other one’s ghost !” he woman turned pale and started back. CHAPTER XXIV, TAKING TEA WITH MISS RAW. “Tre murdered miser’s twin brother!” re- eated Miss Raw, finding voice with difficulty. ‘Why, man alive, you’re crazier than a bed- bug! There ain’t sech a thing, an’ there never was sech a thing!” **] know better, ma’m,” said the detective, coolly, and really with some growing confidence in his theory. ‘Come, now, my gocd woman! just tell me the whole secret of that mysterious twin brother, or—” His pause was no less significant than his words, But Miss Raw was a good deal of a thorough- bred in ber way, and hed by this time ccm- from her surprise; which had, moreover, given her the advantage of enabling her to recover her equanimity. She coolly reseated herself, placed her needle- work in order on an adjoining stand and puttin ber arms akimbo with her most martial an pletely recover strategic aplomb, returned his goze with spbinx-_ like imperturbability. ‘““ Well, Mr. Thief-ketcher,” she coldly de- manded, ‘* or—what?” : ‘* You look here, my good woman,” continued Sprivgsteel, not certain but that he had met more than his match, ‘it won’t do for you to brazen it out in this way.” ‘**Or what?” ‘ = VIEDOC J ee ss Ws 4 a | _— ade * La | . a) PO Dae