Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 506 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

~ e) ~ Uncle Honest. a Knifebelt to aid him: and the aeronaut felt | thirty years of your life; how much longer I new dismay at finding his identity known. “You will see, my dear sir,” Eliakim went on, ‘* how useless it is to adhere to the story you have told. You are a friend of the Ormes, and of Knifebelt, and you were trying to rescue them when you were caught. Quite natural in you, but you must pardon me if I take a logical view of it. You invited the wrath of the law, sir, when you made your rash move to-night.” This announcement did not seem to affect the can’t say.” ** Then you must have known me?” “T did.’ ‘* What is your name?” ‘**Didn’t [ tell you it was Nathan Moss,” * You did. It was one of your lies?” ‘* At least, I don’t need to ask yours.” ‘* You insist that it is—what did you say?” ** David Marron.” ** You labor under a mistake. I am not the prisoner very much. Possibly there were things | man you take me to be, and asI[am not given he feared more than the law. to joking I prefer that you drop the assertion. Uncle Honest settled down to his work grimly. | Do you unerstand?” He had failed to get a confession from the Uncle Honest was fast recovering from his Ormes, but here was a man reputed to know | strange agitation. It was notin his nature to their secrets, and the Peacemaker was deter- mined to frighten him into telling Se ‘My son, turn the light up higher,” Eliakim added. 4 ae obeyed, and his father resumed ponder- ously: rs regret the necessity of severity, sir, but we represent the majesty of the law here, and | would not retreat. we cannot neglect our duty. The divine rights of the people are in our charge—the honor of the town where we try to maintain all that is good and noble—and we cannot falter in our trust. sacred regions. Vice isa hydra-headed reptile we aspire to crush under foot, and the people—” Uncle Honest suddenly paused, He had been | fuse to be hoodwinked. proceeding in a sonorous tone when he became be long cast down; indeed, Isaac had never be- fore seen bim moved as he had been that eve- ning. And as the Peacemaker recovered his composure his other natural characteristics came back, and his tone and expression alike wurned Storm Rider that danger was menac- ing him, He was not indifferent to it, but he His stand was taken, and he would abide by it. He believed that if he had one hope left it lay in holding his own bravely, and working on Uncle Honest’s fears. How small that hope was Wickedness must not flourish in these | he was destined to learn to his sorrow. To the last question he steadily answered: ‘*T do understand, and thatis just why I re- { know very well what I am talking about—I know you are David suddenly aware that Storm Rider’s manner had | Marron.” changed. The aeronaut had half-started from the chair, and a iook of wonder and dismay was on his face. ‘* Man, you lie!” the Peacemaker exclaimed. ‘* Excuse me; I did not think to annoy you,” pursued the aeronant; ‘‘ but it seemed to me Some abrupt, remarkable change had come | that I ought to have the consideration due an over him, making him oblivious to what had | old friend.” lately occupied bis mind entirely, and he was staring at Uncle Honest as though a ghost had appeared to his startled vision. CHAPTER XX. WIKAT WILL THE NIGHT BRING FORTH? **One who won’t tell his name!” ‘*T have my reasons,” ‘“*Too well-known to State’s-prison Officials, perbaps.” ** What one of us has a clear record?” ‘*T have not the vanity to make extravagant claims,” answered Uncle Honest, with a partial “Wr!” exclaimed Eliakim, with unusual | return of his old manner, “ but I will refer you curtness, ‘* what is the matter with you now?’ Still Storm Rider looked in silence. ‘“*The fool is crazy—or pretending to be!”’ re- lied Isaac, impatiently, ‘* You’d better handle im without gloves.” ‘not leave the aeronant’s face. to my reputation in this town.” Storm Rider smiled sarcastically. **Tt is not necessary,” he observed, Eliakim relapsed into silence, but his gaze did There was a faint “There is method in his madness, whatever | resemblance there to some one he had known in be is at. He knew enough to help the Ormes | the past, but who it was he could not tell. The well,” Sky Navigator had him at a disadvantage, but ‘The voice!” exclaimed the aeronaut; ‘ the | one thing was very evident—Storm Rider was a voice and the face!” ** What nonsense are you talking now?” “Tt is he—it is he!” muttered Storm Rider, like one in a trance. dangerous man. If he had fully known the prevailing way in the town he would have had grave doubts of his ability to ever tell any one else that Uncle Hon- advanced with impatient haste, His | est and David Marron were one. broad hand closed over the Sky Navigator’s a - shoulder with almost crushing force. “You gibbering idiot!” he shouted, ‘“‘ what do you mean?” His roughness aroused the prisoner as from a nightmare, Despite the force of the big sheriff’s grasp, he sprung to his feet. . “Great heavens!” he ejaculated, “it is David Marron!” >, -+Ae penggered back as be spoke, and the sheriff roughly forced him back into the chair. nee Storm Rider was figuratively in the tiger’s en. Isaac Outerbridge was growing restless. No edvance was being made with the prisoner—on the contrary, they were getting deeper than ever in perplexity—and the affairs at City Hall migbt need attention. ‘* Father,” he said, somewhat brusquely, ‘‘ do ou wish to prolong this interview?” ‘1 do not,” ‘‘ Then let me take this man back to the City “The fellow is playing ’possum!” he asserted, | Hall.” _“*The best thing we can do is to get a whip and lace his hide well.” There was no reply, and Isaac turned to bis ‘*T think we will keep him here to-night.” ** Here?” ‘* Yes, There is no spare room at the City sire. A noticeable change had taken place in | Hall, while here there is plenty.” the venerable Peacemaker. His calm, benevo- lent air _ observable in his cheeks, He was looking ct _ Storm Rider as fixedly as the latter had lately — looked at him, and the general similarity in | here. ** But I do not like to leave you such a danger- d vanished, and a grayish pallor was | ous companion for the night.’ ‘* He is not dangerous. Aaron and Peter are in the house, and, besides, I have handcuffs We will put them on him, and tie bim to _ their manner was noticed by the sheriff with | the bed in the east room.” - gome apprehension. .. Are you sick, father?” he asked. The elder man put out one hand with an un- | certain gesture. _ **The—the whisky!” he muttered. __ Isaac i te it quickly, and Uncle Honest drained the large portion offerec him, His liquor had not been appeal oe ed to in vain, | mew vigor. The sight of his manifest agitation produced an opposite effect upon Storm Rider. A look of actual alarm appeared on Storm Rider’s face. ’ ‘*] protest against that!” he exclaimed, ‘*Get the handcuffs, my son,” Uncle Honest calmly directed. | **T will not submit!” the aeronaut declared. He started to his feet and made one step y steady hand shook as he did so, but the | toward the door, but there he was checked, It | Isaac’s hand was laid forcibly upon bim, and he sent the blood coursing through his veins with | was pushed back into the chair. He did not give up even then, for the idea of being left in the house with Eliakim had frightened him esmiled, | greatly, but bis strength availe1 nothing against and though there was little real mirth in it, the | that of the sheriff. Uncle Honest brought for- fact was plain that he enjoyed the emotion of | ward the handcuffs, and he was soon reduced _ the Peacemaker, hl § see you now know me,” he said, after a pause = pau bs _ + *T donot!” to a helpless state. The Outerbridges lost no time in carrying out their plan. Isaac was satisfied that his father knew what he was about, and he obeyed with Both men spoke huskily, and the sheriff | unquestioning readiness. The aeronaut was ~ watched in irresolute wonder. Wholly at a loss | placed on the bed and secured with ropes so _ to understand their motives, and their relations | that he could not rise. As the handcuffs were - to one auother, he was unable to take part in- telligently. . ) _ “T know you, at any rate,” returned the aero- ara Abe increasing strength. Fig oes at do you mean?” left on he could not help himself any more than an infant. Whatever was in the minds of the Outer- ridges there was great fear in that of Storm Rider. He looked at them with wild, dilated ‘* Whatever you may be called here, your real | eyes, and words could not have been more elo- _ mame is David Marron.” Thank you—I should never have suspected _ the fact had you not told me. David Marron! I never heard the name until to-night.” uent. He did not beg for life, but he plainly elt it to be in the greatest peril. Jacket was going away, and then Uncle Honest would have full sway. What would happen x ““You were known by it during the first | during the hours of darkness? ’ ~ 3% OO The Leather-. Storm Rider shivered as with ague at the thoughts in his mind. The light was left on the table, and Eliakim and his son moved toward the door. The latter paused for a moment and looked back. No pity for the helpless man on the bed was in his heart, but a queer feeling was stealing over him. He had taken part in many different kinds of wild scenes, but there was something particularly striking in the idea of leaving the aeronaut to the doubtful mercy of the man who, it seemed, would have cause to fear him if he escaped. The sky navigator saw the backward glance and found the power of speech again. *‘ Don’t go!” he exclaimed, feverishly, looking to Isaac as the one faint obstacle between him and death; but the sheriff shrugged bis shoul- ders and went out without reply. Uncle Honest first closed the door and then took a good-sized drink of whisky. ‘* You can go back to the hall, dear boy,” he observed, his utterance even milder and slower than usual. Isaac changed his position uneasily. ‘‘ Shall you put Moss on trial to-morrow?” he asked. ! “*T can’t say, at present.” ‘¢ He will be a valuable witness,” continued the son, awkwardly. “Yes. ‘‘He is supposed to hold the secret of the 4 hel patience will probably make him tell.” es, ‘“Tll bet he makes a clean breast of it before another night, and that will help us a good deal. We shall then have the Ormes right in the hol- low of our hand.” a“ Yes. ” Uncle Honest’s monosyllables were too much for the younger man, Believing that Storm Rider really was of value to them he wished to see the man alive and well on the following day, but be had grave doubts on the subject. e had spoken as plainly as he cared to, and the rest must be left, not to his father’s mercy, but to his selfishness. Isaac hoped that the aero- naut’s value as a witness would outweigh his dangerousness as an enemy, but he doubted it. Parting with the Peacemaker at the door, Isaac moved toward the City Hall, When he had gone a few rods he paused and looked back. ‘‘T would not give a picayune for that man’s hold on life!” he muttered, uneasily; and then he resumed bis way. CHAPTER XXII, A FRESH NOTE OF ALARM. Doctor MarK HARTLEY arose the following morning in a peculiar frame of mind, He had gone to sleep with the resolution to help the Ormes all he could, but to act in the case merely as a dignified physician and an_bonest man. His first impulse to be a warin friend had been checked by the obstinate silence of the prison- ers, and he intended now to be very cool and calculating. He would do what he could to save them from the Outerbridge tribe, but only because, as an honest man, he ought to oppose villainy. He would try no more to learn their secrets, and when they were once clear of their enemies he would ** drop them as he would a hot potato,” Such was the very unromantic way he ex- pressed it, and it showed a lamentable state of mind when a physician of high standing could think of a potato, hat or otherwise, and a young lady at the same time; but Doctor Mark was vexed and piqued. He fell asleep with the best of resolutions; he awoke with a new confusion and irritation upon him. He had bad a dream, and in that dream he saw Vashti Orme standing on the brink of a precipice, and stretching out her bands and call- ing to him for help. He was a man too wise by far to place any significance in dreams, but this vis- ion of bis slumber made an _ impres- sion upon him—it was too vivid to be for- gotten easily, and, somehow, he felt better acquainted with Vashti than he had done before. And his resolution to act the calm, de- liberate pbysician, and nothing more, was i some danger of an overthrow. Not that he would admit it, even to himself—quite the con- trary—but the fact remained, After breakfast he started for the City Hall. According to the plans marked out by the mountaineer, Mark had avoided any act which would place him in open conflict with Uncle Honest. That-person might, and certaimly did, suspect his want of loyalty, but no proof bad yet been given, and the doctor marched into tbe or eee as boldly as though it was his own office. He found only Aaron and Peter present. ‘*Good-morning, gentlemen,” he said, briskly. Both Léatber-Jackets answered, and he could certainly find no fault with their manner, ‘* How’s our patient?” Hartley continued. _ ‘* DP] let you see for yourself,” Aaron replied, ‘*T was just going to send for you.” *¢Then Orme is worse?” ‘‘No; I think not, but I thought it best to be on the safe side.” * 4 fa ya - Ae (€] evoyvo) << fF * 79) } 2 eR