Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 574 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

‘ M rd es . | ) ' | ¥ : > non’ « Wwe ® rs + eis Swat) 2 42m te Ve 2 * . - ~, » - a ; s+ 5 1 he 24 Se. + et. ; = 2? ss _. 5 ". @ eid nto -* fe diy ie i po el es TES em Se dee Sc * . ° “< ; a ia e ‘*T shall be at Sing Sing—have a sort. of en- gagement there.” Eleanor flusbed and then paled a little. ‘You are going to visit Charles at the prison,” she said, in a low voice. 1 ‘6 Yes.” ‘* How I have longed to go to him! and yet I know bis sensitiveness, no less than his love, He would not wish me to see him in the—the prison garb, Against my own heart, I had made a sort of vow only to go when it should be to take him away with me—vindicated, free!” ‘* An excellent resolve!” said Spender; ‘‘ and no more, really, against your heart than your ij understanding, my dear Nelly.” f ‘Still, the temptation to go with you to- i morrow is very great.” ‘**Adhere to your first resolution. Wait. ay you will feel better for it in the happy end. ‘*Oh,” slowly, ‘‘I had fully decided on that, When shall you be in Sing Sing?” ** Karly in the afternoon.” ‘*T shall goto Armonk in the morning, and my inquiries may possibly lead me on through the greater part of the day.” ‘Very likely.” ‘*'The piaces are not far apart. Armonk isa secluded village close to the Connecticut line, off the line of any railroad, and not more than ten miles due east from Sing Sing.” ‘*Good! I will drive over to meet you there, and we will compare notes and return to the city together later on. Does that meet with your wishes?” “ Didn’t I suggest it? J will be with you =! ioe yin less than twenty minutes, Cousin ugh. At the end of about that time she quitted the house with him in her detective’s imitation, af- ter instructing Florine to make her excuses to Aunt Jerusha at lunch, The pair were fortunate in catching a train for Newark, whence they drove out through Orange ina hired hack to the vicinity of that wild and romantic feature of the Orange Moun- tains so familiar to many New Yorkers and others as Eagle Rock, _ The road for the greater part of the way be- ing so precipitous as to necessitate a slow, te- dious gait onthe part of the horses, they im- proved their time by random scraps of conver- sation with their driver, a jovial Irishman, od with a view to extract sumething from his iW knowledge of the locality, which was not incon- siderable, But he seemed to know nothing of any Widow | Kennedy, nor could any amount of judicious | pumping evoke any information on that point. At last, however, just as they were alighting | in the immediate vicinity of the Rock, with its . nest of cheap hotels and saloons, he suddenly . exclaimed: ‘“Qi’ve an umnexpicted oidea, gintlemen, Moight it have been the Widdy Ken-nedy yez were afther askin’ about?” ‘* Yes,” promptly replied Spender. 7 ‘Och, but ivery wan knows the Widdy Ken- } nedy an’ her Harp of Erin Hotel. It’s on the top of the bill beyant, over the new tunnel they be afther buildin’.” ‘*Take us there at once!” cried ‘* Falcon- bridge,” about to re-enter the coach, | “‘?T will have to be afut, sor,” making fast bis | horses, ‘‘ though there’s the bist of beer and | | | eR eee - « eye eee mae tS > ht Aelia ere =; ; r - ~~ whisky galore when youze get there.” ¢ ** All right,” | But a grievous disappointment wasin store for them. The Harp of Erin Hotel proved to be the vilest of drinking shanties, crammed to the doors with laborers of various nationalities in all stages of drunkenness, boisterous and other- wise, whose proprietress, an enormously fat old slattern, was either too stupid or too shrewd to ahha in the slighest degree available for the in- ormation in request, | After wasting hours in uselessly circulating a Y among her dangerous patrons, insinuating their queries with no better result than with herself, and with no small risk of getting into serious trouble by reason of the suspicions excited, they quitted the den and its neighborhood in supreme disappointment and disgust, at least upon Eleanor’s part. On their return to Newark, however, their ' coachman, mellowed by the beer he had ingulf- ed at their expense, besides receiving a sweet- ener in addition to the fare demanded, touched j his hat and: 4 | * seh yez be sairchin’ for the mon ona _ ¢riminal charge, gintlemen?” } ws y no means,” quickly responded the pre- i4 tended detective, “but to secure him as a wit- ness in a most important case,” ‘* An’ bis name?” ** John Kennedy, until recently a waiter in a large New York restaurant,” designating the ; same,” § | 7s ‘““Me own name is Michael O’Rafferty, at your Honor’s service. An’ if it w’u’d be worth me while, Oi moight be able to lairn of his whereabouts, an’ let yez know. , ‘“* It would be worth your while, my friend,” interrupted epenaes though not very enthusi- Pe Ait astically, ‘* You would be handsomely paid for * \ Pen! ? . he 2 . i Me, \ : < . iS _ & RA ce 3. & ~ Old Falcon’s Double. your information.” And he gave the man his card, with but little hope of ever hearing from him again. The trip to Armonk on the following day was with no better result, the desired map in that quarter, having but recently quitted his em- ployment, and gone off none would or could tell whither, but with room for a strong pre- sumption that the move had been contrived by Burley’s beforehandedness, To make a long story short, the search was diligently prosecuted in both directions for the | next two weeks without the slightest encour- agement. ‘* You ought to be hopelessly discouraged by this time, my poor Nelly,” Spender said to her at the end of this period, ‘* Discouraged, but not bopelessly so, Cousin Hugh,” was the brave response, ‘* Burley’s means can scarcely allow him to keep up this expensive hide-and-seek game for these men forever, and our luck must turn sooner or later.” At the same time there was a secret sinking at her heart, for here were the days and even the weeks slipping away to no purpose, and she had promised Howland that he should be righted and freed within a month. Spender looked at her with a pity that he could with difficulty refrain from expressing. Notwithstanding that her iron resolution was intact, she had grown perceptibly paler and thinner, her darkly sacs a face, moreover, betraying day by day more indubitably the stress of the anxiety and hope deferred that was gnawing and preying upon her heart. ‘* Perhaps we had better make an essay with the fountain-pen evidence alone,” he suggested. ** No,” firmly. ‘* You yourself allowed that it might not be sufficient, We will wait, work and—hope.” And from this hour it did seem that the luck was beginning to turn, Colonel Sherwood was still away at bis sum- mer vacation, leaving his business chiefly in Burley’s charge, and Aunt Jerusha was long since back from the Philadelphia convention, with fresh and ever multiplying woman’s rights schemes thickening in her militant brain. Scarcely had Spender taken bis departure on this occasion—it was the early evening of a very bot day—when Burley put in a smiling ap- pearance for an evening call. We say smiling advisedly, for by this time, so agreeably had be been received—or rather, so thoroughly had Eleanor come to mask her real and growing repugnance for the man—that he made not a doubt he would soon be able to speak out his heart to her, with every prospect of success. ‘*T am going to venture upon a little proposi- tion, Miss Sherwood,” said he. CHAPTER XVII. THE LUCK TURNS, ** WHAT is your proposition, Mr. quired Eleanor, rather languidly. ‘* T want to beg that you will take a short ex- cursion in the Fearnaught with me,” Burley said, not without diffidence. | Then, as she made noimmediate reply, he con- tinued: ** You seé, I have entire control of the yacht in your father’s absence, and sheis in tiptop condition, Of course,” with a laugh, seeing that she was not particularly delecta with the no- tion, ‘‘ Miss Bigbee and whatever other friend or friends you might wish would be welcome, in order to—to keep within the proprieties, you know.” ‘* Oh, yes; as a matter of course.” Still with- out any enthusiasm, ‘* Perhaps your cousin, Mr. Spender, would like to go, too, He has been looking overworked of late, I have been sorry to note.’ It was like pulling a tooth, this including of Hugh Spender in his invitation, but, in view of Eleanor’s continued distaste, or reluctance, there seemed no help for it. * It might be a real relaxation for both Aunt Jerusha and Cousin Hugh,” Eleanor said. ** But not for yourself?” “I do not say that, Mr. Burley,” with one of her flashing smiles, all the more treasured by reason of their rarity for him, and the arti- ficiality of which he bad not yet been able to dis- cover. “ But it is a question whether [ can af- ford to indulge myself to that extent.” *“* This useless detective business is wearing you out,” he observed, with difficulty masking a scowl—*‘ literally wearing you out.” | | Her connection with the Falcon Detective, as he thought, was as mucb a source of resentment to him as ever, if not more so, though he had by this time done more toward Burley?” in- spying upon her movements in the detective character t she had any idea of, 1" When do you propose to take the sail, Mr. Burley?’ » ‘“* Thisis a Monday. How would Thursday suit your convenience, Miss Sherwood ** As well as any other day, if the trip is to be a brief one.” ‘* Up the Sound and back the same day.” bridge,” with a smile, “‘is on the Westchester ** Well, speak to Cousin Hugb. If he is | county trail searcely lessdelay.” .» | agreeable, Aunt Jerusha and I will bein readi-| It was so arranged, but as Spender was taking: —_ is 11 acceptance to pe over- It was not a very complimenta of the invitation, but he pretende joyed, ‘** This is real good of you!” he seized her hand, and pressed it significantly before she could with- draw it, ‘* How kind you are!” ‘** Pray don’t mention it.” “Tl see Spender to-night, if possible, and send you word the first thing in the morning. By the way, Miss Sherwood, there’s something odd about that great detective you have become so engrossed with,” ** W bat is that, Mr. Burley?’ ‘Singular, He is never at his down-town office, which still remains close-locked, and even the janitor hasn’t seen anything of him as ret. ** Indeed !” ** ‘Yes; and he seems, from what I can learn, to be singularly difficult of access to his hosts of acquaintances and friends,” **He will doubtless feel complimented to know of your interesting yourself so deeply in his affairs, Mr. Burley.” ** Oh,” in some confusion, *‘ as to that—” » ‘Mr. Falconbridge—the very Major Falcon- bridge that you are displaying such an interest in, Mr, Burley,” with a stnile, of whose double meaning be could of course have no inkling, ‘fis at present exclusively devoted to my employ- ment. When that is finished, perhaps he will ive attention to his office duties. It is his af- air. ‘* Forgive me, Eleanor— Good heavens! I beg your pardon, Miss Sherwood, ButIreally had no intention to intrude upon your private con- cerns,” ‘* Don’t forget tosee Mr, Spender anent the yachting excursion, Mr, Burley.” Suavely, and, with another artificial smile she dismissed him. Burley haunted the adjacent Park until he could obtain an interview with the French maid, with whom he imagined himself to be progress- ing even more swimmingly than with the mis- tress, and then betook himself down-townward, But he had unfortunately used his handker- chief with some carelesness while making his adieux to Miss Sherwood, and hardly had he gone before she held in ber hand a letter which he had inadvertently dropped. The envelope was broken, it was addressed to himself, and she detected a familiarity in the wretchedly scrawled superscription. In a moment she had mastered the contents. They bore the date of the preceding Saturday, at Pound Ridge, Westchester County, and were as follows: | “‘Mister Burty:—So you now think ten dollars a weke oughter be sattisfactry to me, and living up here in this dirty kuntry hole to bute, with nothing but chaw bacons, kows, ducks and pigs for com- any. pn Well, Idon’t. Tak nottis according. PP. KELLY. Though it may not always pour when itrains, re in support of the ancient proverb, it 1s none the less true that when Fortune does turn in one’S favor, after a long withholding of her fickle smiles, she does so somewhat without reservation. Early next morning Hugh Spender called, his — shrewdly bonest face the index of a decidedly cheerful frame of mind. **T have good news,” he said, **So haveI,” replied Nelly, brightly. is yours?” ‘You’ remember the Newark coachman, O’Rafferty?” “* Of course,” ‘“*'Weill, who would have ex from him cted to. hear letter ¥ ie ‘ ’ t > any! bs a prodigally and ats ; =) “What a. ne” f - ~ | < em Fa phar ane ar! in? Read this, which I received scarcely an hour ago.” And he handed hera It was from the coachman, briefly, though — 7: | not elegantly, to the effect that he had got track _ of the John ation would be promptly furnished on application to him, together with a hint that it could not be had for nothing. 7 ‘‘ We're doubtless at the turn of the tide,” exclaimed the young woman, joyfully, ‘Read that. ‘‘And she handed him her letter, or aad Burley’s, with a word or two of on. be i ined | delay,” he said, ‘Of course, or there is no telling when ti | Burley hay next forestall us. You saw him last night “Yes; and “Tt was: as it may help to lull his to rest until the crowni ” “ Good idea!” “Can you take to-day business re ‘T shall do so, at all events,” | mre “Thank you Cousin Hugh! Set off for AICcCOn=- Jersey at once, then, while the great ennedy in request, which inform- “ a) 4. ~ e¢ ' explana- , i" fn9 + Spender did so with such satisfactionasmay ‘We ought to follow these hints up without __ 4a ‘ accepted his yachting invitation Poe er eney next, I guessed such to be your ~ moment. i ae off from your office = . 74 ’ “v -