Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 501 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

——. » "y e 4 ee if < ¥ Seg “ al Springsteel Steve. ¥- 7 Eafe ae a | ’ ’ ' ld rs i ‘ s a sn ve picture had impressed her with being, and the threatened breach was healed, ““ Was the what mollified Miss Libby. ‘* Not exactly that—but of grandly noble and majestic proportions, Libby, dear, just like ours. ‘*T don’t care. every day.” ‘* You shouldn’t wish to lose an ounce. you could easily determine the fact, if you're anxious to, by weighing yourself, say ouce a week.” ‘“‘Me yettin’ a scales, like a prize hog! No, thank vou.” ‘‘“ Well, well,” said Edna, growing a little wearied. ‘‘ Content yourself with simply re- maining handsome and hearty, then,” But the subject had become the poor girl's mania, ‘* But I’m not hearty—leastwise not so hearty as I was!” persisted Libby. ‘He thinks Pm fallin’ off, anyway! That is, he’s never hinted as how I'm a-gittin’ any bigger.” ‘* And whois he?” “Mr. Willard.” ** Oh!” “Tl tell you all about him, Miss Edna!” cried Miss Libby, exuberantly. ‘‘He’s too sweet for anything—so silent, so dignerfied, an’ SO mellerncholical! I know you'll like him, and et— I know [m getting thinner She had come to an embarrassed pause, that | was not lost upon her quick- witted compan- | ion, ‘* Well, my dear; and yet—?” “1 forgot. And maybe I was mistaken, too, ‘*Tell me what you mean, you foolish wo- man!” ‘‘ Well, would you believe it? when I first | mentioned your name to Mr. Edgar, be seemed to have heard of you before—or at least to be not altogether unfamular with your name—and | he acted so strange.” Edna half-angrily changing color. ‘Strange in what way, Libby?” ‘“T don’t know. Somehow as if he knowed something about you, an’ had concreaved a pre- juce to your deeterment, you know. But Lord love vou, miss, don’t you be alarmed! I1t’s only me he cares for. Jn fact be can’t keep his eyes off me, ’specially when I’m standin’ afore him,” ‘*T sha’n’t be alarmed,” said Edna, quietly. ‘But badn’t we better be going down now? Mr, Langley, you know, who drove over with us, is going to stay to dinner.” ‘Langley, indeed!” and Miss Libby’s pretty upper lip curled contemptuously as its owner stepped to the open window, . ‘* A widower of forty, if aday! But wait—there he is now!” ‘Who, the sheriff?” ‘Bah, no! Mr. Willard. And, bless me! if there ain’t that ridiculous woman a-hauntin’ an’ a-naggin’ of him again!” ‘““Who are you talking about?” asked Edna, slowly rising from a kneeling attitude before one of her trunks. ‘‘ Why, that crazy old Miss Raw, to be sure!” Edna was now also at the window, and only to experience a sort of inexplicable nervous shock. By what strange and occult sympathy were her heart-strings stirred, like a wind-harp’s by a forgotten air, at the sight of the elegant, melan- choly young man who had good-naturedly turned, in crossing the green Jawn below, and was now being rather threateningly confronted by the prim, iron-faced Miss Raw of sterner and more military than ever? ‘‘ Ah, I remember that Miss Raw,” said Edna, as composedly as she could. ‘* Why should she haunt and annoy the young man as you inti- mate, Libby?” ‘“Why? Why, because she’s a fool—a pes- tifeerious old fool!” 4 | Poor Miss Libby’s malapropisms were ever the rigid original when prompted by excite- ment. ‘‘ But that is no answer, my dear Libby.” ‘*‘ Ah, miss, but don’t you understand? Miss Raw was a sort of half-sister to the dead miser, and might perhaps have inherited a slice of the property_at law, but for this unlooked-for re- turn of Mr, Edgar. An’ mebbe she ain’t the only one that’s sore, neither.” ‘* Ah! I begin to understand.” They saw Mr. Willard get rid of his persecu- trix—apparently by the exercise of some good- natured diplomacy—and then they went down- Ss. § It was on the piazza, just before the ringing of the dinner-bell, that Edna Gray bad her in- troduction. to Mr. Ed rd. Libby had apparently not exaggerated. The - young man’s manner, though profoundly court- eous, was none the less markedly cold; and after a few murmured commonplaces, he seemed positively relieved to be able to offer Miss Libby his arm’at the sound of the bell, while Edna fol- lowed under Sheriff Langley’s escort, the old ex- t detective bringing up the rear with the farm- ws ¢.:; ‘ <j : ’ od Jp we) . i? * > - a 4 : . ; aa oa ~ z ey J 4 y a + Se ee queen f—fat?” inquired the some- . But | ' wife, whose good-man had preceded the com- ' pany in order to get in some advance on a giant sirloin roast that was the piece de resistance in prospect. ; However, Edna was painfully conscious of Mr. Willard’s eyes being often upon her face— | stealthily and sorrowfully, rather than contempt- uously, she thought—during the repast. But she was hardly prepared for the young man, on finding her alone in the grove, several ‘hours Irter, ceming abruptly upon her, as he did, and saying, with ill-concealed agitation: ‘* Miss Gray, can you find it in your kindness togrant me a private talk? I—I had heard of you before, you see—and not tat complimen- tarily, perbaps—and—and I think there may have been some misapprehension.” ae CHAPTER XII. A MOMENTOUS INTERVIEW. In response to this unexpected request, Edna slightly inclined her bead, and coldly pointed to the other extremity of the rustic bench in which she was sitting. Mr. Willard colored and hesitated. ‘‘Pray do not think me bold, miss,” he stam- mered, ‘but would vou be good enough to step a little further back in the grove—somewhat more out of observation?” He glanced nervously at the house, distinctly visible from that point of the grove, with a kitchen garden and a corner of orchard inter- vening. As Edna only stared in response, the young man’s painful embarrassment increased. ‘“Of course, my request must seem imperti- nent on such sbort acquaintance—indeed, on , hardly any at all,” he managed to go on, con- a fusedly, ‘* Like enough you considered me dis- tant and vain in my manner on being intro- duced to you, and— ‘ Oh!” with a sudden burst of vonfidence; ‘if you could but know all, Miss Gray! and—and it would be simply torture to be unexpectedly intruded on by that insuffera- felt that she was already | bly vulgar young person!” ‘* Do you allude to Miss Webb, sir?’ Edna coldly inquired. ‘* Yes—that is, I know it was wrong, but ”— gloomily—" how can a fellow help 1t?” ‘* Of course it is wrong to speak slightingly of a lady in any event, and more especially for one who seems markedly attentive in the presence of others.” Mr Willard at first stared, as if he had not quite understood, and then he burst. into a short . little laugh, so unaffected and boyish as far as it five years | before, who seemed to have grown straighter, | went that Edna was touched by if, **T attentive to Miss Libby—and ina formal or significant way?” he exclaimed, ‘‘ Oh, Lord, —————— eee OO wm¢_ and Beri from him the information that brought you here.” You knew Mr. Harper, Miss **T met bhim—once.” ‘** But then on a memorable occasion?” ‘The most memorable and the most miserable of my whole life!” in a yet lower tone, ‘‘ Am | at liberty to proceed with our talk in my own way, Miss Gray?” ‘*T shall probably offer no objection.” ‘*Let me ask if you have recently obtained any further information of me personally, then?’ ‘* But little, and that chiefly through my friend, Miss Libby.” ‘“Tt was doubtless hardly to my detriment, then,” muttered the young man, halt-resent- fully it seemed, as though he would willingly bave had it utherwiso from the source named, ‘* Rather to mine,” said Edna, quietly, “lo your detriment, Miss Gray?” ‘““Well, the reverse of complimentary, at all events,” “Will you kindly explain. your meaning?” * Shetty 9 ler hesitate, be added, very ear-. 25 t nestly: veg of you to do so, Miss Gray! I am more than anxious.” ‘‘ Oh, but you need not be, sir! It was not of enough importance. Iwas merely given to un- derstand (don't lay it against Miss Libby, for it was only her natural exuberance) that you had manifested a dislike for me at first hearing the _mention of my narne—even before you had seen ? Miss Gray! what should I do with-—with so. much young lady? Why, I’m not a colossus, with arms a mile wide!” Miss Gray smiled in spite of herself, and she arose. But when they were seated together in a some what more secluded nook, in accordance with the young man’s request, either his courage or his purpose seemed to forsake him, Edna looked upon her companion critically, and with feelings of unaccountable interest, as he sat there trying to murmur some common- paces with slightly lowered and partly averted ead, seeming !y not wholly willing to meet ber calm gaze; and yet she was puzzled, for evident. ly he was nota bashful or diffident young man constitutionally, and was doubtless fully able to hold his own even merrily in female society on oceasion. He was tall and graceful, with mobile dark features and sud black eyes of Spanish sugges- tiveness, as were also his elcersnnting black hair and small mustache of the same hue, the latter shading a handsome mouth apparently but little used to smiling, thongh capable of dis- closing a magnificent set of teeth, and a certain weakness about the chin was redeemed bya more masculine and resolute expression of the jaw and forehead. He was very modestly dressed in a well-fitting suit of dark, coarse flannel, and an insignifican watch-guard was his only ornament. Altogether, and to all appearances, a very proper and agreeably seeming young gentleman, and perhaps also what is commonly unders as a woman’s man by nature. \ Edna was somewhat surprised to have her recollection of the mysterious Frank Harper brought to mind by Mr. Willard’s appearance and manner; though the latter was considerably older-looking than the former had impressed her with being, and he was also cf heavier and stronger build. : _ “TI do wish I could make a beginning of what I wish to say, Miss Gray,” said Edgar Willard at last, and with some impatience. ‘But the words won't come, for some reason.” ‘Perhaps it is the will that is lacking—sup- pose you let me assist you to your end,” Edna observed, in a low voice. ‘You would speak with me of one Mr. Harper—Mr. Frank Har- Ve . "4 “True! but how did you know it?” cried the young man, eagerly. “Simply enough. I learned yesterday of your having met such a person in Montevideo, ‘7h . a : Sa: ae ote a Sie aie me,’ “Tt is true, and without a particle of exagger- ation,” instantly admitted the heir of Willard Manse, with attractive frankness. ‘‘ That,” with sudden eagerness, ‘is why I have bastened to seek this interview, Miss Gray. I hadn't been in your presence five minutes before 1 be- ran to think, to bupe, almost to know that my impression must have been formed on a miscon- ception, I was miserable and unhappy until I. could confirm my error!” ‘* But of what consequence could it be?” “Of every consequence—of far more than you can conceive of! Tell me frankly, Miss Gray, what did you think when you beard of my mani-. festation of a dislike for you, even at the bare mention of your name?” ‘‘Think, indeed! Why should I have thought anything—or have cared either?” “True, true! What a fool J am, after all!” Edna was touched by his dejection. ‘‘ Well, I did think—there now!” she said, half-angrily. ‘‘ Not that I cared one way or the other; but I—I understood the cause of your preconceived prejudice, and—and that caused me pain, because I was-so certain that it was undeserved.” ; ‘Oh, thank you, thank you, for saying so much, Miss Gray! Do go on, You shone! tI might have imbibed my prejudice from. Harper? That was it, was it not?” ‘Tt was.” ‘*T knew it—I felt it.” “You knew that young man?” ‘‘Intimately! I may even say that I came to know him as perfectly as I know myself.” : ‘* And he died—he is no more, I understand?” Mr. Willard gravely inclined his head. : Edna’s emotion was fast controlling her, She clasped her bands in her lap. ‘“Oh! there is one thing I so much want to know!” she faltered. ras ‘As to how he died—what manner of man he had become? Is not that it, Miss Gray?” ‘Yes, yes! but how could you know tbat?” ‘‘T had become poor Harper’s closest friend, his alter ego, you might say. He concealed nothing of his past life from me.” ank ’ 7 4 “* , =e rid a >< +e iy oe O we, if 45; hoy . 4 ~ re ao +44 e or a ; “ et ®, i. Se Layee > > s P A, , > : Ll ' ohn we r ga. a 4 ean. ‘‘ Ah, sir! had he reformed, did he die truly repentant, and thus keep his cacred promise to — Y me?” ; ““He did,” solemnly, “He had become a t 0 changed, a reformed man from that hour, and _ apn unhappy one!” ** Unhappy ?” - “Could it have been otherwise with him,_ miss, when convinced in his own mind that you had been less faithful to your part of the engage- ment — the sacred compact, as it might be called?” be 9 | She gave asharp little cry, that seemed to re- double her companion’s sympathy and _ solici- tude, already at a keen edge. ‘*Oh, that is what [ most feared to kno she all but moaned, Don’t spare me, Mr. lard! He died cursing me?” ‘He did not !” emphatically. ‘““What! Ob, sir, do tell me all!” q ‘“‘ Frank Harper died not cursing your mem- ory, Miss Gray—that would have been impos- il- * ’ ry : res ‘ e v sf +. + ‘ a e3e . ’ * ae : be - a > ' at aa ; 4 Hh ‘ * AL? - — ~*~ 52 F rs . La, sible—but with a broken heart! with such sor- row as only can be felt over a hopelessly shat- — tered idol, once cherished, once adored, but last believed, perforce, unworthy, trivial, ed beyond its worth!” scl | The eloquent words were uttered slowly and reluctantly. in i evident suffering; le, her eyes seeming to read what was for Edna had grown very consideration for their bearer’s _ A! ‘ raed Chadd ney sbrin- tke * before its enunciation with a painful intensity. che ) “Madness!” she ejaculated. ‘‘His idol? Im- _ possible!” e rt * > comicbooks.co FySe cia 2 . . + owe ori ~ ‘e4 > j — ~~