Beadle's Dime Library No. 628 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

¥ —->. = ‘Pe - tae on ie Ser ~ oT i* 0 we Be aces ~ a aye~, $ a ae j 4 ” =. “. a ® a ee ee z~ oe S&S ee —_ = we ie é a 4 > wr. _——— a ae . a} s - ) sone ete it ES, ie 5 = = s< ee ee ee Joe Phenix’s Conbisie: ** That is the way the party figured,” the pro- moter continued, ‘‘ And he thought it would be the better to treat with you than with your sister, for women have no head for business, and least of all for any business of this peculiar, ticklish kind.” ** Yes, she would not understand what to do,” Maurice said, ina gloomy way. * Well, now the point is right here, Do you want to treat with this party for this docu- ment?” the promoter exclaimed in a brisk, busi- ness-like way, “* He is willing to sell it to you, and I am authorized to submit the document for your in- spection, so that you can satisfy yourself that it is the genuine article. You would know it, I presume, if you bad a chance to examine it?” os Ob h, yes, Ll could not be deceived in regard 4 ‘Atter the purchase’ the paper is your prop- erty, and you cay do what you like with it, and no one will be the wiser.” ** But to destroy the will would be a crime!” young Engleburt exclaimed, moodily, **Ob, nonsense! My dear sir, such little games as that are worked every day as men who hold themselves up to be very paragons of honesty!” Mr. Brown declared. ** Just consider now, who do you wrong? The estate if it is taken away from your sister and yourself goes to your children’s children, If you and your sister keep the money it will go to them all the same, but you two kave the use of of it during your lifetime, and your children will enjoy the same privilege, so it seems to me that there isn’t anything particularly wrong in your destroying this paper, if you are lucky enough to get it into your possession, ** Only three people know that the will exists, my client, Smith, myself and yourself, and as far aslam concerned I don’t know anything about the paper, but by hearsay. Smith you will pay, he will pay me, and then what you do with the document is nobody’s business, “T want you to understand, Mr. Engleburt, that there is only one payment ‘to be made and that settles the thing, so don’t get the idea in your head that you will have any trouble after- ward, for even if my client and myself were not disposed to act on the square it would not be possible for us to kick up any row. ** If we should tell the story of this transac- tion, no one would believe it, and we would be . merely laughed at for our pains, ‘* Tsay this so that you will not feel any hesi- tation in going ahead—so that you will feel as- sured that you | are going to get the squarest kind of a deal,” ‘* What sum does your principal want?!” young Engleburt asked, slowly, his brow dark with thought. ** Well, ne thought that he ought to havea hundred thousand dollars.” ‘‘Itisa large sum!” Maurice exclaimed, evi- dently amazed. ‘*It is only fifty thousand dollars apiece for you and your sister, and the destruction of the will assures you possession of over twenty-five millions,” Mr, Brown argued. ** Really, when you come to consider the mat- ter, the sum is not a great one when vou look at what you gain.” **T do not think you could get my sister to agree to give anything,” Maurice remarked, slowly. ‘She will have some old-fashioned no- tions in regard to the honesty of such a transac- tion, and if the affair came to her knowledge _thechances are she would declare thatif any such document was in existence it ought to be made es “* 'Xes, ano it is very likely,” Mr. ret Oo ae! with a grave shake of the ead. ‘* As I observed a moment ago, women have very little idea of business,” **So in making any calculations about this 2 ines my sister must be left out of the ques- on,” ‘** Ah, yes; well, under those circumstances, I presume the’ price ou ught to be reduced a little,” the promoter remark ** And, 1 mustsay, that I think you are wise—decidedly wise not to sa a word about the matter to your sister. It would be just as well to keep her in the dark about the matter.” **'Yes, I think so,” ‘Now, I do not believe in haggling over a matter like this when I am dealing with a gen- tleman like yourself!” Mr. Brown declared. *“*So suppose we put the figure right down to fifty thousand dollars, but you must understand, Mr. Engleburt, that that is the lowest price!” ‘You must give me some time to think this matter over,” Maurice remarked. ‘‘ It bas come - upon me so suddenly that 1 must have time to reflect.” “Certainly, of course,” the promoter replied, in the most cheerful way. ‘* Nothing was further from my thoughts than the anticipation that you would come to any conclusion to-night, “This is merely breaking the ice, so to speak,” **' Yes, Tunderstand. Well, suppose you give me a week to think the matter over,” the young man remarked. ‘‘Fi'ty thousand dollars is a large sum, you know.” att me Ss | ‘ ; a Ge Be beoecs = **Oh, yes, [am aware of the fact,” and Mr. Brown rose. “In a week I will have the pleas- ure of calling upon you. ‘Of course, Mr. Engleburt, I suppose you are aware of the "necessity that exists for keeping this matter quiet?” ** Yes, certainly.” “T have known men who, when concerned in a matter of this kind, have been foolish enough to call in the aid of detectives, and in all such cases you can rely upon it that a precious mess the officers made of 16. ‘** The main point with you is to keep the ex- istence of this will quiet. If the truth gets out, then it is both good-by to your millions and to my client’s thousands,” I understand that,” “IT want to settle the thing quietly and nice- ly, you know; have all arranged in an agreeable manner for everybody.” ‘** You can depend upon it that I shall not make afool of myself!” young Engleburt de- clared, ‘* It will be very wise indeed for you to act prudently. In a week, then, Mr, Engleburt, I will calland I have no doubt that by that time you will come to the conclusion that it is better to give up fifty thousand dollars than to sur- render twelve millions, At any rate most men would be apt to think so, If you should happen to make up your mind sooner, et a carefully worded personal in the Daily Blaster. Good- evening, sir.” Maurice touched the bell, and the servant con- ducted the promoter to the door; he went forth into the night, and he Tanghes as he descended the steps. me have hooked my: fish beyond a doubt!” he cried, CHAPTER XXX. THE ACTRESS SPEAKS. For a good ten minutes after Mr, Brown de- parted young Engleburt remained in a state of gloomy abstraction. Then at last, with an effort, he roused him- self, rose to his feet and paced slowly up and down the room, ‘| kuow that it is wrong for me to even listen to this propesition!” he exclaimed, “I thought I had more moral courage, but when I am brourht to the test I weaken, I cannot bring myself to give up the money! ““ My fat ther did not use my sister and myself right when he made such a will, and nine men out of ten would be eager to take advantage of such an opportunity ss is now offered me]! ‘*{ must go out and take a turn in the air, for my bead is whirling!” The young man made his way to the\nearest club, and there he joined a gay party with whom he made the rounds of all the places of fashion- able resort and crank quite heavily for bim, for the young man seldom drank to excess, This was doue to still the voice of conscience, Maurice knew the difference between right aud wrong well enough to understand that if he bought and destroyed tbe will, he was commit- ting'a crime, although, as he said, it was one few men would shrink from doing under the circumstances, He arrived at home just as the party came from the opera. Doctor Mairstone had acted as escort for Rosalind and Miss Lawrence, whom the young heiress insisted upen taking every- where with her, As was the custom of the house when the young people went out, a hack wasin waiting for them, and after it was dispatched, the girls went up-stairs, while Maurice and Dr. Mair- stone adjourned to the library to enjoy a cigar. But young Engleburt was so restless that he could not smoke, and so after awhile he went up- stairs to his sister’s apartment, e had drank just wine enough to make bim feel extremely shrewd and cunning, so he had etermined to sound bis sister upon the will busin and ascertain her views on the matter, but without letting her know the truth about the affair. Rosalind was in her wrapper, about to get ready to go to bed, when Maurice knocked at the door, **Tt is I—Maurice,” he said, ** Not yet,” she replied, as sbe admitted him to the apartment, ‘*Where’s Mignon?” he asked, as he glanced around and noticed her absence. ‘*She is in her room—she was busy with my hair when you knocked, and us she was only half-dressed, she ran away.” The two girls occupied adjoining apartments, but, as a rule, the two slept in the same bed, for the young heiress had taken such a liking to the burlesque actress, that she could not bear to be separated from her. ‘I have been thinking over a certain matter to-night,” Maurice remarked as be helped him- self to a ds -chair, “and as I am a little made. up my mind to see what <3 Have you gone puzzled about it you think, “Well, I will give you my honest opinion, al- though I cannot promise that it will be worth much,” the girl said with a laugh. ther’s death I Te you peeephen, after looked for a will and was surprised that no such document was found?” ** Yes, I remember,” ‘* And, if you recollect, too, I said that it was a good thing for us that the will which I expect- ed to see did not appear?” ‘*'Yes, [ remember. You said you understood that fatber had made a will bequeathing a fixed income to us and tying up the estate for a long term of years,” “Exactly. I knew such a will was in exist- ence during a short time before father’s death, and f was astonished that it did not come to light. ** And yet, if you remember, father’s lawyers, when you spoke of the will, declared that they had no knowledge of any such paper and doubt- ed its existence,” **' Yes, I recollect, and when I found that the were disposed to take that view of the matter, did not attempt to argue the point; but I could have told them though that there was such a will—that it had not been drawn out by any lawyer, but was in father’s own handwriting. In order to keep tha matter quiet he had drawn out his own will.” ‘*T remember your saying so.” “It wasa poud thing for us that the will never turned up, but I was thinking over the matter to-night, and a supposititious case came up in my mind, a case which I was puzzled to decide and 1 determined to submit it to you.” ‘¢ Well, I will do the best I can with it.” s Supposing now that at the time of our father’s death this will, which I once saw, and so know about it, was in existence, and was stolen by a certain party who thought he saw a chance to make some money by so doing.” A look of astonishment appeared on the face of the girl as she listened to this—to her—as- tounding supposition. ‘* Now the man comes to me and says, in sub- stance: ‘I have this will; if I makeit public you will lose your fortune and be reduced to a nar- row income. Give me so much money and I will give you the will; you can destroy it as soon as you please, and no one will be the wiser.’ as What a wretch!” Rosalind exclaimed, indig- nant ** Well, what would you say to a proposition of that kind?” ! f pre ‘ { would not have anything to do with sucha man!” the girl declared, immediately. ‘I should consider myself to be guilty of a dreadful crime to even think of committing such a sinful act!” really a crime, for no one is wronged, ” Maurice argued, ‘*Tbe money is left to our ‘grandchil- dren, and we leave the money to our children and they will transmit 1 it to theirs, so the same result is accomp:i-hed.” ‘* Yes, but that is not the way that father wantec it, and as it was his money surely he ought to have the right to say what should be done with it,” ‘* Yes, still most men would argue the case as I have, and decide that they were not doing very wrong if they a gh the document,” ‘*T would not do such a thing fcr the world!” Rosalind declared, spiritedly. ‘And all the arguments of this kind would not convince me that it would be right to go contrary to the wishes of our father.” ‘I guess you are right, Rosalind,” the young man remarked, a little confused. ‘‘Of course you understand that 1 was merely supposing a ease, The will is not in existence, and we have as cause to trouble our heads about the mat- r ‘You think that you are extremely cunning, don’t you?” cried an indignant voice, and Mig- non Lawrence strode into the apartment with the air of a tragedy queen. She was attired in a loose wrapper and her hair was in a dreadful state. ** Now don’t you look at me, young man, for I am not presentable at all!” she continued. ‘‘T did not intend to allow you to see me, but I had to take a part in this discussion, ‘“Rosy dear, you must really forgive me for talking er your big brother in this way, but now lam going to let the cat out of the bag!” she exclaimed, turning to the astonished girl. ‘This brother of yours bas been talking soft nonsense to me ever since [ came in the house, despite the fact tbat I was nothing but a waiting- maid—that was before you elevated me to the position of your companion and friend. ‘“*T will do him the justice to say that his attentions seemed to be strictly honorable and he always behaved himself like a gentleman. “*T suppose that it has been a cay ete to him why a rich man like himself should not make a favorable impression upon a poor girl such as I am.. ‘‘T never took the trouble to explain the mat- ter to him, but now I will do so, “ T always put him off, laughed at him when he attempted to make love to me, and acted as if I did not eld eae he vee in earnest, al- though I knew he all the time “T will not say that I am free tu accept the attentions of any man, because that is my busi- ness and I am not obliged to tell it to the a (e| @) 0Ve) aft. “It might be urged, you know, that it isn’t e at Tet - ’ hie a