Five Cent Wide Awake Library (vol. 2) (1892 07 16)
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Entered at the Post Office at New York N.Y, as :econd Class Mutter. ‘ >rE.l FRANK JSEY, PUBLISHER, 34 } Ty wNey7Xs PRICE IOs 1130, if cometere} RANE TOUSE YE geuseae, 04 & 00 Nonry Moony Sree pound | Ww Osonae Entered according ts the Act of Congress, in the year 1892, by FRANK TOUSEY, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D, C. r] A Story of Trials and Triumph THE ACTOR’S SON. Zina
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‘ THE ACTORS SON. | The Subscription Price of Toe FrvE CENT Wipe AWAKE Lrprary by the year is $2.50: $1.25 per six months, post-paid. Address ‘» FRANK TOUSEY, PUBLISHER, 34 and 36 North Moore Street, New York ¢ Box 2730. THE A Story of Trials and Triumphs On and CHAPTER IL. “FRANK SPARKLE.” *< Yes, sir.” ** Come here.” The voice was that of Professor Whackboy, founder of the academy, for youth of the male sex, bearing his name, and thus admonished, Frank, a bright, intelligent lad of eighteen, arose from his seat, and walked up to the professor's desk. ** You called me, sir,” he said, after he had remained silent for some seconds without any apparent desire upon the part of the principal “ole had summoned him to open a conversa- ion. Professor Whackboy glanced at him over his spectacles, and his thick brows contracted sternly. ““Yes;TI have received a letter relating to you, and also one from your father. The lat- ter calls Be from school, and if the former is correct, I cannot say, sir, other than it-is most welcome, for it would spare me the pain of expen you.” Frank’s face flushed. “What have I done, sir?’ he demanded holtly. Professor Whackboy coughed lightly. “Nothing,” he said, with a freezing air; ya but this letter to which I allude informs me “m ed man, pointing toward that your father follows that dis ful pro- fession of, hem—an actor! Is this true?” Frank Sparkle’s face flushed and paled by turns. “‘ Well?” he asked, coldly. “Is this true?” re-demanded the learned gentleman, “Tt is, sir; and I am proud to own it!” “That is sufficient, sir. You are no longer a pupil of mine; as I before remarked, your father has sent for you; in fact, he is dying.” “Dying!” repeated Frank, turning very e. ar Preetsely. And although I wish no man ill, I can only say it is better thus than that Be poke further pursue those disreputable uties——” Professor Whackbéy never finished the Quick flash, Frank Sparkle leaped for: uick asa , tran e re pants seized a heavy inkstand, and hurled it at him. It whizzed through the air, struck him fair- ly in the mouth, and cut the sentence short. _Naturally quiet and sive, Frank was like a lion when his father’s name was as- sailed; for he loved the old comedian more than sons are wont to love parents, and Ima be pardoned if I say, I think, past then, Prof. Whackboy Ft an inkling of how deep and true that affection really was. rt The school burst into a roar; the ink bub- bled from the lips of the professor, streaming gown tie. ey of Erato one spotions shirt, an ucking u cane, he lea to his feet ace flourished it over the boy. Pe Frank Sparkle’s fist clenched, and there was an ominous light in his eye; so ominous, that the learned and ink-begrimed man low- ered the rattan as the boy said: “Don’t you dare to ‘strike me; I am nojh longer under your control, and I have served you as I would any other person of question- able respectability who attacked the name of father!” * Leave the house, sir,” yelled the infuriat- the door. Frank merely bowed his head, and with great dignity, strode into the hallway and up to his own dormitory. E ‘In half an hour a stage bore him down the £ ’ road to the depot, followed by the ringing ete ae pee By GUS WILLIAMS. cheers of the boys, among whom he was a fa- vorite. He rose up, waved them_good-by, then the stage swept around a bend in the road and he had left Whackboy Academy forever. He reached the depot, paid the stage-driver and strolled into the station. ** How long before the next train leaves for Now York?” he asked, as he purchased his ticket. “Twenty minutes, sir,” was the agent’s re- ly. y He thanked the man, drew. back to a seat in the corner, and lost himself in thought. What did it all mean? He had received a letter from his father but three days before, wherein_he expressed himself enjoying the best of health, and now to hear thus suddenly of his approaching death, was bitter and strange indeed, e It seemed to him that the train would never come, and he caught himself repeating: ‘* Sixty seconds make one minute,” etc. _ At length the iron-monster thundered into the depot, and with a sigh of relief, Frank picked up his valise and entered the car. The ride to New York was not an extreme- ly lengthy one, although the scenery was most beautiful: but the lad had no eye for it to-day, and when the train rnmbled into the t metropolis, he leaped gladly out and ailed a hack. “Drive me to No.— Bleecker street,” he said, as he sprang feverishly in and was rat- tled away to his destination. Night had fallen, bringing with it a driz- zling mist, and when Frank reached his fath- er’s home, he was surprised to see it envelop- ed in darkness. He sprang out, darted past a couple of men who were lounging near the door and ran up the hallway. S eh the upper landing, he knocked on the landlady’s door and asked for his father. ‘*Lawk’s sir,” was the woman’s reply, “he left for the theater half an hour ago. “ But—but I thought he was dying!” “Never was better in his life—that is since I’ve known him, and that’s twenty years— long before my Nell died, and——” Doubtless Mrs. Brophy would have gone on in this strain all night, but Frank cut her | now. short by ashing “*Did he say he expected me?” “‘Not a blessed word, sir.” “Thank -you ; I will leave my valise here, and take a stroll down to the theater.” The mysterious letter puzzled him greatly, and as he turned into the Bowery, he mut- tered to himself: “Confound it! what does it all mean? Did Whackboy get it up as an excuse for expell- ing me? Haug itall! Ill find out what d has to say before I’m a day older, and——” His remarks were cut short by a flower girl yelling her wares in his ear. mates He bought a white rose, fastened it in his button-hole, and strolled down towards the theater, followed, although he knew it nob then, by the same two men who lounged around the door of his father’s boarding- ouse, ‘At the time of which I am writing, the Old Bowery was in the heydey of its popularity. Its massive walls resounded to the bellow of eful faces an the xaiehey Forrest, the finishe apy of Julia n, Susan Denin and countless lights of more or less brilliancy in the theatrical world; but come who might, | it?” a Booth or a Howe, none found a heartier reception from the packed house than the ever popular Sam Sparkle, whose flashes of sentiment, dashes of comedy, high or low; \CTOR®S SON. Off the Stage. from the “ Mock Duke” in the ‘‘ Honeymoon” to “Jacob Earwig” in ‘‘ Boots at the Swan,” tee the delight of the circles and the joy of e pit. _ Frank was passionately fond of the stage— in fact, he had long settled upon it as the ursuit of his life, and was “‘up” in the juveniles of many of the popular plays of the day, from Shakespeare down to Clifton They. ‘As he passed the brilliant entrance of the theater, he saw that the bill of the night was “Romeo and Juliet,” supplemented by the farce of *‘ Turn Him Ont.’ He noted this with a smile, for the ‘* Nico- demus Nobbs ” of Sam Sparkle was a perform- ance never to be forgotten for its broad slices ot fun, and then strolled around to the back oor, < ; The gruff, grumpy old door-keeper glanced up as he entered. The play had not begun, and the whole house was ina hubbub. Men ran hither and thither ; walking gents in crimson hauberks, and pretty ballet girls in court trains, design- ed especially for the halls of the crusty Capu- let; stage carpenters cursed and swore at wings and set pieces, supers mumbled and talked lowly to one another, and amidstitall, a short, thick-set, spectacled man, with a prompt-book in his hand, flitted around the men and questioned. Now and then he caught the words: ““Won’t you, Taylor, or got Baker, or Roche, or Kennedy? A week’s salary to th one who speaks first. D—n it; the house is full; we can’t send “em away!” Then each man shook his head, and each man in turn, replied : “Not up init. It would damn me forever, and I'd never be able to show my face again in New York.” Frank turned from these and asked the door-keeper : **Can I see Mr. Sparkle ?” “Not yet; he’s dressing.” ' “But I am his sun; I must see him.” “Can't help it, sir; call again; there’s no Cine to be wasted now.” a6 It’s no use talking, you can’t see him But I tell you I must see——” The man arose and pushed open the door. The boy had just taken a step forward, when a man strolled upon thestage. _ It was Sam Sparkle made up for Peter, and ea yoice, Frank shouted: “ ay Lae The comedian turned, saw him, and darted forward. “* By Jove! it couldn’t have been better; the very one!” E e tapped the stage manager on the shoul- der and whispered a few words in his ear; his face litup and he called to the doorkeeper, Jenkins: ‘i “QLet that young man in.” Frank came forward, seized his father’s hand and was about to speak, when the Pai Ha ra ey? the short man in spectacles, sai quickly : “Don't waste time in words. Are you up ? in Romeo? That beastly Burns is drunk as a fool and can’t speak a line.” Frank’s face lit up; he glanced at his father, and he too asked: “T know you are up in it, Will you play “But ” ms Z SW piso ane stamping could be heard from the front—the audience impatient. — ; avd — —_ ! were getting
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- ) ““No buts about it. Will you play?” “Yes.” “Then tear down-stairs like mad.” The old man hustled him past, the come- dian whisked him down into a dressing-room where tights, symmetries, swords, feathers, hauberks, shapes, shirts and even togas lay piled about in direst confusion. “Don’t stop to tell me how you came to leave school, but pile in'and make up. Thers’s flake white, here’s chalk and rouge, there’s a hare’s foot and a lining brush. ere’s some cosmetic or India ink, which ever you wish. Sail in, and if you don’t do me credit and lay all over that milk and water Burns, I'll dis- own you.” All around was bustle and confusion. He heard the call boy summons: “First act: everybody up to begin!” he heard the bray of the instruments in. the or- chestra, felt himself slipped into a blue and white hauberk, and as one in a dream, drew the strap still closer around his tights, slid his feet into a pair of cross straps, blue slip- pers, and put the last touch of rouge on his cheeks—so confused that he attempted a dozen things at once, “Hurry up—hurry up!” “Come now!” * Quick there!” These words met him upon every side, and amid the bustle and confusion the rustle of the ascending curtain was heard. He worked on faster, buckled on his sword, bent back his plume and hastened up the Stairs. “Just in time,” he heard the stage manager say. ‘‘There’s your cue—go on!” \ " tateindiie’ well-dressed and majestic, he strode forward upon the stage. ; There was a moment’s pause; the lights seemed to spin around, then the house broke into cheers, and he heard swell up from the throng, like a million throats ; “ Hi—hi—bravo—Sparkle—Sparkle!” CHAPTER Il. For a moment Frank was astounded to hear his name, but he soon after learned that the stage manager had apologized for the non-appearance of Mr. Burns, “towing to severe indisposition, and his part would be essayed by . Frank Sparkle, son of the eminent comedian.” He seemed to live in a dream, but in a few seconds he warmed up to his work, and *‘carried the house,” breathless, with his évery movement. His heart leaped with joy,his face was fiushed, his blood tingled; while eyen old actors lounged at the wings and followed the young lover with comments of praise from act to act thoroughout the entire play. But all were on the qui vive for the cele- brated balcony scene and when the act-drop puatles accel y upward a death-like stillness swept over the whole house. The scene was a master-piece. He stood there in the center of the garden, the pale, bluish light: of the calcium moon Streaming on his white hauberk, his young, handsome face turned towards the vine-drap- ed baleony, over which hung the lovely **Ju- liet,” and as the scene grew the silence deep- ened. Suddenly Frank heard a low, agonizing p from the wings, and as he cast a . ward glance, he saw Sam Sparkle clutch the rofile edge, his face white as ashes, his lower aw dropped, and his eyes fairly bulging rom his head. ne For a moment our hero forgot his lines. That pale, painful face burned into his very soul; but‘another sound attracted his atten- tion to the proscenium box. A hand swept aside the lace curtain, a tall, handsome man arose in the box, and hurled a bunch of white roses at the very feet of the oung actor, + ATE Cher low gurgle from Sam Sparkle, the eyes of the two men met, and with a cold, cynical smile, he in the box raised his hat. The curtain fell back again, but not before Frank had seen another form in the rear of the box, and recognized both. They were the two.men he had seen in Bleecker street, “By Jove!” he muttered, “I have seen those men before.” : Fora ata ie proubled. him, then was forgotten in the excitement. He meant to ask the comedian who they were when he left the stage, but in the bustle THE ACTORS SON. and confusion of dressing, he forgot all about it. 4 Nevertheless, the men would not allow themselves to. be forgotten; for their cheers were the heartiest, their bravos the loudest ; and often Frank felt his eyes wander towards them, strive how he might to keep them away, and once or twice he caught, himself wishing they would go, At times his gaze would wander to the wings, and he would see the old comedian leaning against the proscenium with his eyes mynhee upon the strangers, and his face dead- white. aN this combined, rendered it still more uncomfortable for the debutant, but he shook off the feeling, and drove at his work with renewed vigor and spirit that seemed to tell upon the audience, and elicited cheers where they were least expected. * * * * * * The curtain had fallen upon the tragic end- ing of the great play, and while all was in bustle and confusion for the farce, Frank wended his way to his dressing-room and Silently doffed his sable robes. The bunch of white roses lay beside him, and as he picked them up, a slip of paper flut- tered to the floor. : He raised it, and read: “Philip Deverell presents his compliments to the actor, and—the actor's son.” ‘What the deuce does he mean b scoring the last three words?” muse ** Hang the man! I don’t know him!” The farce was soon over, and Sam Sparkle came down the stairs, looking blue and down- cast. While he was disrobing, Frank told him the story of the mysterious letter, and was not surprised to find that the comedian knew nothing of it. However, the man’s face grew pale as ashes, and as he caught sight of the paper, he snatched it up and read it hastily. **T knew it—I knew it!” he groaned, as he crushed the paper in his hand. ‘* There’s danger afoot after all these years. Oh, my poor boy!” Frank looked at him in surprise; he had never seen theold comedian so much affected, and he hastened to inquire the cause. “Ask me nothing now,” returned Sparkle, “but look to yourself, and be careful for the love of Heaven,” ‘“But why, dad?” Of what?” “You will know soon enough, lad—you must know, it is better. Oh, my God! that this should happen! That he should appear living—when I had solong thought him dead! It would have been better so—it would——” “Good-evening, Mr. Sparkle.” He turned as he was saluted, and saw the man who had been in the box standing on the threshold of his dressing-room. One would imagine it impossible for a face to grow so pale as did Samuel Sparkle’s at that sight, and he stammered as he turned away. : 4 Toweamenyou down here, Philip Dey- erell ?” The dark man smiled, showing an even set of teeth, and sank into a chair. ‘*Not a very graceful way to meeva fellow after all these years. Mr. Frank, you have grown a fine Jad, and a capital actor, but I thought you died nearly eighteen years ago. Didn’t you, Sam?” He spoke those last words with a cold, chilling emphasis, and the comedian shiver- ed from head to foot. Philip Deverell laughed sardonically, and continued : r ** Whata rogue you were, Sparkle, to send your boy to school and hide him from the world with all his theatrical talent—worse, too,” and the man’s voice grew harsher still, **to give the world to believe that he died in Sate infancy!” *** For God’s sake, Deverell!” moaned Spar- kle, turning his eyes upon the man with an imploring glance, ’ Meanwhile Frank had stood a surprised lis- tener to the conversation, and turning quick- ly, the comedian said to him: “Go up-stairs and Search around the stage ne Ah buckle I lost from my shoe in the edy..- 7: ithout a word, Frank obeyed him, and then the scene in the dressing-room took a stronger turn. **So you have deceived me!” hissed Dever- ell, glaring at the comedian, “Now, see under- Frank, here, Sparkle, all this business for which you have been paid might have been done easily years ago. It is harder now, but by —— it must be done all the same!” ‘**Mercy, Deverell, mercy!” “Mercy!” foamed the infuriated man, “ How dare you ask: it at my hands, Samuel Sparkle? Do my bidding—kill this son of . yours—hark ye—kill him, or by —— the law will clutch you as firmly as——” “Oh, for God’s sake, Deverell!” Sparkie, holding bis hands up before his face, Philip Deverell arose and bent his lips down to the actor’s ear. “You are in m heard, ‘‘and you shall do my bidding or go to the scaffold. Do you think I have forgotten thav night in the road? Do you think I have forgotten that poor creature pleading for her life while the blood streamed down her face? Do you think I have forgoren that last crushing blow which mashed through her head and laid her lifeless at your feet? Do you think——” **Don’t—don’t, for the love of Heaven!” moaned the wretched man, clasping his hand over Deverell’s mouth and glancing around. ** Walls have ears; keep iy secret and—and come again—I will talk with youthen.” — ** But will you prorhise to put this boy out of the way? Remember, you sign your own death-warrant by your refusal.” Fora moment the comedian wavered be- tween two opinions, then he shook his head, feebly. Deverell’s brow grew dark. ** You refuse ?” he gasped. *“Yes; do with meas you will, but out on the very trap of the scaffold, I will denounce you, ay Deverell, Take care, you may tempt and t to the death. Go,do your worst! I can die but once,” then his voice sank to a whisper, and he continued: ‘and I can murder but once! Once, said I? No, twice! You have eaded me on, Philip Deverell, until I am esperate; leave me, orl may be tempted to repeat the scene you witnessed in the dark road! Go!” The tempter saw that he was desperate, and crept towards the door. “Tt is war then?” he asked. ** To the death!” “I will see you again; I will give you a week for reflection——" **T want it not.” ** Then look out for me.” FA The door slammed sharply to; he was gone. The actor sank back in the chair and cov- ered his face with his hands, “Oh, my poor boy,” he mvaned, ‘‘oh, my poor boy!” At that instant he caught the echo of Frank’s footstep upon the stairs, and spring- ing up, he began dressing at all speed, hum- ming while he worked. “Can't find the buckle, dad,” said Frank, as he entered the room. ** Never mind, it is here. You’ve done well a th my pore and you have the juveniles for the rest of the season, for refusal or ac- ceptance. You've made many friends, my boy. but you’ve made one bitter enemy.” __* Who in surprise. “The man who was here—the man who gave you these!” flinging down the roses and — grinding them under his feet. ‘“‘Shun him, Yy, 43 you would a serpent! Be careful, watch, wait, be faithful, or, as surely as you are living to-night, he will stin dark! Those roses. are a signal of danger. Beware!” “Of what, dad?” ““A nameless danger, my Pas But come n what may, promise me you w ever think too harshly of your old dad.” Frank seized his hand and shook it firmly, Hi “How could I, dad? You have been good’ tome, and but for this shadow we should have been so BPPD : ae : ““Ay, so happy!” repeated the actor, and then hes the handsome young face of thi put him from him and bade him go to rest, Once alone, he sat down and began writing, “Tl make notes,” he muttered. ‘“ They . * may be of use to the boy if—ifIdie. Ican’t \ tell him the story with my lips,and when _ they are still and cold these pages may speak, God Philip pity me and Satan curse you, gasped . ower, Sam Sparkle,” he ry me, but you will find me true. s that?” asked Frank, glancing up © you in the ke no more until they were home, — Thrice he strained Frank to his heart, and the tears from the old eyes ee down on : e » then he “6 =
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res = ' Deverell, with your handsome, fiendish face. ‘There is villainy afoot—but what? Oh, a sibyl could not more plainly foresee the fu- ture than I do now!” . ‘ “CHAPTER IIL. - Niaeut after night Frank Sparkle continued to act, to the intense delight of crowded houses, and night after night that bunch of white rosebuds fell at the young actor's feet. i 4 5 Es peguenees of that man’s threat. till ht was not disturbed, but could he have seen Deverell that afternoon, his fears __ would have been increased threefold. T4 It might have been half-past three o'clock 5 when the man left his abode and strolled leis- urely down to the Five Points. At this period it was not a common sight to see an e ntly dressed man in the vicini- Re _ty of the old brewery, and many eyes were turned upon him as he came down the filth thorou sikare! we ¥ Reaching the dingy red house, Deverell ee in and picked his way to the upper story. It was evident he was known here, for upon reaching the door facing him as he mounted, he turned the knob and strode boldly in. A dark, sinister-looking fellow was lying on an apology fora bed, but sprang up as Deverell entered. *“*Howa youa do, Mr. Deverell?” “Oh, I'mall square. St. Gash, I want you to doa bit of work for me. You reasemnber that yospenes at the Bowery the other night * ae ‘De von you trowa de flowers?” S. ; * Giovanni St. Gash nodded his head. Deverell continued: “You are pretty at flinging a knife, I hear, Giovanni, butin all the years we have been together I have never put that to the test. Now the business I want you to under- take is——” . ss He bent down and whispered in the Ital- - ian’s ear. St. Gash was an old hand at scenes of bloodshed, an old slave of Philip Deverell, ane ne he merely smiled, as the other laid out is plans, but that smile meant acceptance of the terms, “Ver’ goot; I nevair miss a my mark., I will be there on the time.” “Remember,” continued Deverell, as he arose to go, “not till the play is well on, and then in the confusion, aim at him at whose feet falls a bunch of white roses.” The Italian nodded his head, and the arch plotter took his departure. Night came on, and father and son wended their way to the theater, beneath whose bril- liant light crowds were surging in, eager to t Seats ; not one dreaming of the tragic end- geal night to “Raymond and Agnes.” a spectacle, this play can scarcely be sur- - passed; and the glowing, red-lettered bills and flaming cuts, from quarter sheets to threes, lu the playgoers to the grand old house in hundreds. ‘ 3 Meanwhile, Giovanni St. Gash had bought himself into the graces of the super-master, and inthe dingy old room set apart for the _ supernumeraries, was arranging himself for the performance. _ “How is the house?” asked Frank, as he _ came upon the say _ “She's a ripper ; look for yourself.” The young actor applied his eye to the hole in the curtain, and viewed the vast sea of ‘aces, Boxes, pit, circles—all were jammed to suf- focation, and Frank felt his breast swell with _ pritie at the assemblage he was to face. The last note of the overture had died away as he drew back, and a slight rustle ran through the audience. “Clear stage!” came the cry of the promp- ter, accompanied by a sharp sere of the hands: then the bell rang briskly, and with a heavy rustle the curtain went up, and the first act had of the great spectacle that was doom: et to be swept out in flames and _mourned in tears. _ Frank Sparkle played that night as he had meyer done before, and at length the master THE ACTOR'S SON, scene came wherein both his father and him- self were upon the stage. **Now is a ma time!” hissed St. Gash, and while all eyes were riveted upon thes! , he struck a match and applied it to the old can- vas. Wilder and wilder grew the scene, louder and louder swelled the applause, and happy, smiling faces were seen upon every side, “ Hi—hi! bravo—bravo.’ Then a thrill of horror; a long insidious ronete of flame lapped up and fired the borders, the audience sprang to their feet. tumbled like sheep towards the doors, an while women screamed and fainted, and men cursed and swore, high above the din rang the awful cry of: ‘*Pire!” In the twinkling of an eye, the old, frayed canvas was enveloped in sheets of flame, while knife in hand, St. Gash awaited the signal of the roses. he crash and eplinien of glass as the mad- dened creatures leaped from the windows could be heard, and amid that hell of sound, Philip Deverell arose and hurled the bunch of roses at the stage. At that instant the actors, co; their peril, had started to fly, and fell at the feet of—Sam Sparkle! **Sacre!” hissed Giovanni, and hurled the stiletto forward. It whizzed through the fire, circled in mid air; then a loud cry broke above the hellish din, and with the hilt peering from his blood- stained bosom, Sam Sparkle reeled backward and fell crashing down among the flames? izant of e bouquet CHAPTER IV. THE broad sheets of flame curled and la ped around the tinder-like scenery, the wood- work and canvas blazed and smoked, and above all arose the unearthly shrieks of wounded, frightened and dying men, women and children, Even in the midst of that miniature pande- monium, Philip Deverell saw the fatal mis- take the Italian had made—a mistake for which no one was to blame—and leaped up from his seat. But it was too late to recall the blow, too late to seek out St. Gash ‘and acquaint him of it. _ “ Maledictions!” hissed the plotter, “‘ he will escape us after all. The man whom I would have live is killed, but safety now de- mands my attention.” He sprang boldly into the struggling, screaming mass and beat his way to the door. Escape by that quarter was entirely cut off, for, in their mad haste, the people had crowded into the lobby and were jammed to- gether in a solid body, only able to scream and curse while others clambered over their heads, trampled upon them, beat them from their hold; until, from wall to wall from floor to ceiling, was one solid mass of squirming limbs. : “Good God!” gasped Deverell, “have I Caro myself?” y this time the flames had reached the auditorium; balconies and circles were con- verted idto crackling bodies of fire, the dense black smoke was suffocatidg many of the miserable beings, and the flames scorching as many more. “Furies! I must get out of this!” shrieked Deverell, as he beat his way back into the theater’scenter. | Right and left his blows fell, and nerved with a horrible desperation, he flung the struggling wretches from his path. From where he stood he could see a vacant window upon the gallery above, and rushing at all speed towards one of the supports, he wound his arms around it and prepared to clamber up. “Save me, oh, my God! save!” shrieked a romes tottering forward, and grasping his coat. ““D—n you! let go!” he hissed, as he dealt her a heavy blow on her upturned face. The blood trickled down from her nose and mouth, but she still clung to him and cried: “Oh, for God’s sake, save me! Think of ot Be ones at home; think——” e slid back from the pllar, stooped, tore the woman from her p, and lifting her bodily in the air, hurled her over the edge of the gallery, and into the very midst of the flames Beis One single shriek rent the air as the circled over and oyer in her downward flight, then she disappeared in the dense, black smoke with a heavy crash. ' Deverell again began the ascent. By this time the fire-engines had reached the scene of the conflagration, and dense bodies of water splashed through the broken windows, geluen the miserable wretches, and falling on the flaming wood with a fierce, heavy splutter. Deverell reached the gallery above, clam- bered over the seats to the window, reaching which, he dashed away the glass with his clenched fist, and wriggled through, gashed and ete to the stone sill. The blaze lit up the place with a light that rivaled the brilllancy of nooday. Below, the streets were thronged with peo- le, the fire-engines buzzed and shrieked, and nding forward, Deverell espied a shed some twenty feet below. Sudddenly a howl went up upon the night air; the people had seen him—were pointing at him—and as his bloodshot eyes turned to- wards them, he saw the firemen lugging for- ward a ladder. The stones upon which he clung were be- coming too hot to hold, and he waved his Seti abovs his head in a despairing appeal or aid. At that moment a dull rumble was heard, followed closely by a splitting sonnd; the walls rocked and heaved, then the roof fell in- ward with a heavy crash, mashing the crowds below, and against the brilliant background his slender form stood out in bold relief. **Save me! Save me!” heshrieked, forget- ting in his despair the poor creature whose appeal for aid he had answered by death. The next instant the broad sheets of flame swung up towards him, curled around his body, and he saw that another moment's de- lay would be fatal. ' rouching down, he measured the distance to the sh low, ahd with a fearful oath of blasphemy, leaped forward into space. His body whizzed through the air, he landed upon thetin with a heavy sound and over- owered with horror. The moment he real- ized he was safe, he fell back with a low gur- gle, senseless. A groan went up from the throng at that fearful leap for life, and willing hands lifted the ladder to the shed and brought the inan- imate man down. “Poor fellow! he’s dead,” someone said, but such they soon found out was not the case. Better—far better would it have been for Frank Sparkle had it been so, but the devil never deserts his own, aud Phillip Dev- erell was one of his most devoted subjects. Inside of twenty minutes he had recovered his senses, and mingled with the crowd gaz- ing at the crumbling ruin, and’ wondering if Frank Sparkle had fallen withiit. A CHAPTER V. FRANK SPARKLE did not notice the comed- ian fall with that fatal stroke, but dashed wildly through the flames and with his broth- eractors, fled at-all speed towards the back door. _ The scene had been a box set, and in the twinkling of an eye the whole stage was sur- rounded with a wall of fire. “For God’s sake save me!” he heard one of the screaming ballet girls shriek, and stoop- ing down, he wound his sinewy arms around her, and bore her safely to the street. The fire engines had arrived, the red-shirted rescuers were doing all in their power to save the theater, but the dense crowds that jam- med and blocked up the streets saw that this was useless—the house was doomed. As Frank rejoined his brother actors, he sae! for the first time the comedian was not there. “Where's pop?” he cried, turning and fac- ing the heavy man, who worked now with an energy that belied his calling. « ood God! I don’t know. I didn’t see him come out. As sure as you live, Sparkle, he’s in the theater yet!” Frank waited to hear no more; he hurled the people from his path and dashed back to- wards the theater. “Come back—come back!” a hundred voices shouted; he heeded them not, but sped to- wards the back door, out of which the smoke was rolling in dense, black clouds, and long, insidious tongues of flame darting like ser- pents’ fangs. He held his clothing over his mouth and leaped in. AS: ; Searcely had he gone half a foot beyond the > «a
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yr threshold ere he felt himself seized from. be: | | Ié was one of the pages the comedian had ee ” ficed!” ‘THE ACTOR'S SON. vi es tty 5 iat hind, and a fireman’s voice yelled in his ear: “Are you mad,man? Y “I care not!” cried the brave boy. , ‘My father is in there; I must get to him. Let me **No, by Heaven, I won’t!” “Let me go, I say!” “* Never! you——” He turned, dealt the man a blow, wriggled from his grasp, and followed by a groan of despair from the lookers-on, leaped forward and disappeared in the flame and smoke, Rafters and flaming scene frames fell onall sides of him, but he plunged boldly on, leap- ing each barrier as it fell, until he found him- self surrounded by smoke and fire, past which it was impossible to,see a single foot. The border lights. thundered down upon the stage, and at that instant he hearda cracking above him. : ; He looked up, uttered a terrified cry and leaped away. = _ Not an instant too soon, for, the flames hav- ing severed the ropes, the. massive paint- bridge fell with aheavy crash upon the yery spot where he had been standing. He struggled upon the stage—his father was not there! Desperate still, he darted to the winding aa on the ‘O, P, side,” and fled into the ies, ; A window beyond was flung open, out of which the fly-man had just,leaped, and as he passed by this, the brave boy was seen by those in the street, and chee lustily. Suddenly, however, their cheers changed to ans, for, right in theit sight, a heavy. tim- r had fallen upon his head and he lay sense- less across the window-sill. Quick as a flash a ladder was placed against the wall, and springing upon this, a fireman darted up and pulled him from the very jaws of death, as the roof fell inward! For an instant man and boy are seen boldly by the livid light, then with the dense smoke surroundi ' Frank in safety to the earth.. Poor Frank! he was saved from one peril, but he was menaced by a thousand more. The eager crowds gathered around him, but the police beat them off. “Open his clothing;” “ Stand back!” 73 “ Give him air!” * He is reviving.” These, and various other coniments from the throng, met the bold boy’s ears as his senses returned. _ “Where amI? Where's dad?” he gasped, in a breath, “Dunno,” replied the fireman, who had saved him, shaking his head sadly; “‘ p’raps dead—many another is.” “No, no, no! don’t tell me that!” shrieked Frank, struggling to his feet. ‘‘ He must be saved! I willgo back after him, and——" He stopped suddenly, the words froze on his lips, and with one glance at the theater, he reeled back and covered his eyes. It was a heap of ruins. pegs my God! he has perished! Dad—poor Then he fell back into a man’s arms, and a merciful unconsciousness blotted out all the horrors of kis awful situation, and the frightful death that had overtaken Sam Sparkle with his comic laughter still warm upon his lips. The wound in his head bled profusely. An ambulance was summoned—a rude one —tender hands raised the poor fellow and he was driven tohis home. __ A surgeon dressed his wounds, administer- ed an opiate, and left him to the watchful eyes and tender care of Mrs. Brophy, who, like all who knew him, had learned to love he lad, - In three days he was sufficiently strong to leave his bed, and at once began a search through his father’s effects, Among his private papers he found a torn sheet of foolscap, and upon this he read: +_Peverell’s power cannot be disputed, for Seu he shall not hurt one hair of the boy’s —J will defend him with my life. Oh, ! his angen will pursue you to —for you stand in his light to that great —not sce this tillIlam eet ae in my ve N.Y.; goany where, but escape EE ete ty teeing Gol and do not think too hare —and may God forever bless you, and——” There the paper ended. written on the night of Frank’s. debut, and ou will be sacri-|had torn asunder, to re-write in another form, : Frank scratched his head in perplexity. ** Well, here's a jolly go! What the deuce could dad have meant? One thing is certain; he anticipated death at the handsoi this Philip Deverell, and danger for me from the same quarter. Itis plain he would have me flee frou: New York, and now that he is dead I shan’t disrespect his wishes, Yes, I'll go— anywhere; tramp from town _to town to es- cape this man; but beware, Philip Deverell, if the knowledge of the secret power you pos- to me, I will hunt you to the ground with no more compunction than if you were a rat! _ “Rat! that’s a fitting title for you, for did you steal into our happiness and snatch it from our yery lips? ; “Only wait awhile; my day will come, never fear, and when it does, seek your hole, rat, and never show your head, if you don’t want it nipped off on sight.” The boy’s face was flushed as he concluded and there was a light in his eyes that would not have pleased Mr, Philip Deverell could he have seen him just then. However, Mr. Philip Deverell didn’t get a chance to see him, and, Frank Sparkle didn’t mean that he should. Herummaged further among the comedian’s | effects, fancying, he might find_ more papers alluding to himself, but in this he was disap- pointed, for none could be found—not eyen | the packet, Sparkle had written on that fatal night, intended for Frank's eyes at this time. e lingered a few days in town, but when his money wasall gone, came to. the conclus- ion that he must find something to do; but as he respected his father’s wishes, that something ”" must not be procured in New ork. “ There is no help for it,” he moaned; “I must tramp my way west and enter some of the theaters there. Ivan do odd jobs along them, the brave rescuer bears! the road and thussave myself from starva- ” tion,’ Accordingly he picked ont a few wigs, a couple of “shapes,” a pair of tights, some stage jewels, and a pair of shoes, These he made into a bundle, tied them to the end of a stout walking-stick, and sat down to write a letter to Mrs. Brophy. He did not wish to tell her of his reasons for leaving the city, and he knew that were he to tell her in person that he was going, this explanation could hardly be escaped. Night came on, and the young actor sat alone in his desolate apartment watching the clock on the mantel, and counting the hours before he must depart from a danger he knew no more of. than that it existed ; but in what shape, and what the reason might be for its assuming any form, he was totally ignorant. He had only the old comedian’s words uide him: ‘‘It is a nameless peril, my oy,” and from this strange danger, this peril without a name he was fleeing—fleeing, ig- norant of its direction, and knowing not whether he was going from it or walking blindly AnEO AES Races ve It was a perplexing situation. ; The con eare and went, and at midnight our hero arose, slipped the letter under Mrs. Brophy’s door, and passed down the hallway and into the street. “T have no guide,” he muttefed, “but the railroad tracks, and may Heaven watch over me!” : Then he shouldered his stick, passed on through the city, and followed the glistening rails that were to lead him to safety in the far West. His plucky heart never once faltered, and when he had gone about two miles up the track he stepped aside to allow a train to ASS. “ The iron monster thundered on and swept away into the darkness. Withasigh as he watched it disappear, Frank took a step for- ward, but came to a sudden standstill. A man was standing directly in his Dea his arms folded across his breast, and his dark eyes glaring upon the wanderer. CHAPTER VL Puriiip DEVERELL’s nervous system was so completely shattered by the awful ordeal through which he had passed on the night of ee a and not being made of the same stuff as Frank room until the afternoon following our hero’s flight from the city, despite the urgency of the case. Rate However, having like “‘ Richard,” “* become himself !again,”. he donned; his. clothes: and sallied forth, taking the direction of the Five Points, in which place, the reader will. be pleased to remember, resided that murderous ee of the euphonious title—Giovanni St. ash, aay As previously, Deverell passed up the rick- ety staircase and pushed open the door of the Italian's room without a courtesy of askin admittance, and found Giovanni, as usual, The new-comer strode;to him and shook him soughly, ; ; “ee Get up ul : ' : fe The Italian opened his eyes anda smile of satisfaction painted his dark face, | / “‘ Good-de-day, Mr. Deverell.. Ia thoughta your burn’ up, but Ia didn’t get ze chance to see youa, and. youa forbida me to come toa your house.” foe: “Quite right,” replied, the visitor, sinking into a seat with an oath that made eyen Gio- vanni's blood curdle. Pi Gis “Whata ze mattair?” he asked, springing up. “St. Gash, we have been fools !” *“ Whata wea done?” i “Nothing; only killed the wrong man— that’s all,” Deverell replied with a sardonic laugh, ‘and he the very one I,would have had live... By my power over him, I held a power over the boy; but now he is gone, there is no help for it—we must dispose of the whelp ourselves, “No one is to blame; it was all a mistake. The bouquet fell at the feet of the wrong per- son, and you killed him. Of course you were not supposed to. know the difference, and I did not calculate upon changing positions— at least, just then. “One would natural lys GUD Dos that his guardian and protector being dead, the es Was wholly at our mercy; but there one woul be wrong, for I did not wish the stain of blood upon m hands, and, although he defied mend am confident I could eventually have brought Sparkle to terms and made him kill the boy; but as matters now stand and I before re- marked, it devolves upon ourselves. All this while St. Gash had been an earnest displaying the laziness of his r; by,snoring | sessed over my father ever becomes known | on Bin bods fee peek ie listener, for this was the first intimation he — had received of the terrible mistake. After Deverell concluded, there was a lengthy pause of silence; then the Italian spoke: ; ‘Dis boy; wherea he is?” “ Of course, at the house in Bleecker street.” ““Well, whata wea do?’ For reply, Deverell looked him straight in . the eyes, and said: Wa Sash, if a serpent lay in a certain hole to|only waiting the passage of time to sting you, what would you do “Do,” said the Italian, his eyes glitterin, fiercely, ‘do? I'd digga him up and cr-r-rus him under my heel!” " “That's exactly what I mean to do. We must first unearth this reptile and then slay him, before he becomes aware of my reason for hunting him down, since Sparkle may have left that which will him, and in such an event, my cake is dough. Come, we have not a moment to lose, for even now the whelp may be slipping through my fingers, curse him!” ” eventually acquaint gt Giovanni St. Gash donned his hat, and fol- lowed his employer into the street, _ They passed on through the crowded thor- oughfare, and erienee) in an hour’s time, upon Bleecker street. Saath opposite the home of honest and talkative Mrs. rophy. Quitting the Italian’s side, and bidding him remain where he was, Philip Deverell : = untered forward and rang the bell. ‘ Mrs. Brophy answered the summons in person. 5 = sho would you be pleased to see, sir?” she as Deverell lifted his hat politely. “Ts Mr. Frank Sparkle at home?” ‘Lor’, no,sir. ‘wish he was. He just ran off in the night like he was a thief, and poked a letter under my door.” : “Could you let me see that letter?” asked i Deverell, growing very pale and slippinga dollar into Mrs. Bro phy s hand, = For reply, se: pulled it from her pocket and — m. tee Sparkle, that he did not leave his!’ There were few words upon the sheet, but
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those few were sufficient to blanch Philip Deverell’s face still whiter, and to raise a tu-| be mult of varying emotions in his bosom. The letter read : “DgaR Mrs. Bropuy: I cannot tell you how sorry Iam to leave you, but pursued by a deadly ‘ danger, of which my father warned me, I have left the city, until Iam able to return a man. “Then I shall return, and woe be unto those who have persecuted me and mine so long! “T shall tramp (having no money) towards the west, following the railroad fot guidance, until I can find employment in some theater. ba “‘Good-by; God bless you for your kindness. .° WAAni SPARKLE.” - As he finished the letter, Deverell crushed it in his hand, tossed it to the floor, aud with- out a word, turned poets on his heel and strode away, leaving Mrs. Brophy gazing after him, and not quite sure he was not be- reft of reason. As for Deverell himself, doubt and hatred tore his bosom, and they were equally match- ed antagonists. Bee ae — the Italian and drew him aside. “ e ” “There is no help for it—we must follow the a “Ts he gone?” “Yes, to the west, tramping along the rails. Curse him! there was that in his let- ter——d—n it, does he know?” The Italian did not offera reply, but stood mutely by, watching him and awaiting his ; command. . Deverell foamed with rage. . “Til find him—I'll crush him, if I put my i own neck in the noose! Come, St. Gash; 1 come!” “* Are youa goin’ toa follow de ee Le : “Yes ; step by step to the end of the world —come!” ; “St. Gash grasped his arm and said: “Tf he isa walking de track, we cannot ride, We musta walka it too.” “You are right, there is no time to lose; an hour’s delay may be fatal.” Deverell had plenty of money on his person. and being the heir of a vast estate, could easily draw upon his ‘banker from any town for such sums as he might wish. ‘Therefore he stayed but long énough to urchase firearms and ammunition, and hay- 1 patie the boy’s trail, started at once up- on it. Tramping the track was new work for the millionaire, but his’ safety demanded it, and when his strength failed Lim, avarice and re- venge nerved him on for the struggle. ° They traced the boy easily, for Frank had been seen by seyeral inn-keepers along the road, butall this’naturally delayed them, and two days expired without their coming up with the wanderer, They put up at a second-rate hotel, and on the next morning, well victualed, returned to the hunt. i , As the afternoon grew, Deverell spied a lonely farm-house, and, stepping up, accosted ; a ws he bate porn eters a the te, , & pardon, miss; but did you see a AA frdressed fellow passing along here “Oh, yes, sir ; if it is the one you mean. He carried a stick, to the end of which was at- tached a bundle. He was very handsome, and not more than nineteen. He’stopped here to get a’ drink, and was joined, up at the bridge yonder, by another. Deverell’s brow grew dark—who was this other? “Thank you. He’s a runaway from school. _Did you notice which way he went?” _ The girl arose and pointed far up the curve. ““Yes; I watched him until he got out’ of ‘ sight; he went that way.” - “Thanks. How far is the next house?” *Sonie six miies, sir ;,and none beyond that for at least eight more. ‘ ae Deverell joined St. Gash. 4 “Good,” he said; ‘we are on the whelp’s trail. At the farthest he is not more than m miles ahead of us.” : pecomiingly, they walked briskly on, an as rank, never dreaming of pursuit, saun- 4 b ed THE ACTOR'S. SON. neck, noone will be any the wiser, and I shall e. » It was late when they passed the second house, for they knew the boy must rest, and while so doing they might overtake him. Half a mile past the last farm-house, the Italian stopped suddenly and clutched his companion’s arm, “*Looka there!” He pointed as he spoke to the wooded slope, and through the trees a light could be seen burning. “He has halted there. It will not do to shoot—the report would give the alarm ; we must steal upon him, and if he has a compan- ion, put both out of the WATS Accordingly VEST. slipped into the trees, each witha keen dirk clutched in his hand, and stole cautiousiy towards the fire, where Frank Sparkle had halted to cook a few po- tatoes he had obtained upon the road. As yet the plotters could not see the faint- est sign of a human form—was the boy sleep- ing? verell fancied so, and his lips moved with a triumphant smile, Ten yards more and the worst will be Spi into a d tch, al hich th ping into a deep patch, along which the ashes grew thickly enough to conceal them from the fire, Deverell paused and whispered to St. Gash: on the ground, as you value your dirty life *Trusta me! Ia nevair mees ze mark !” They took another step forward, two figures sprang from the thicket, two sticks knocked the knives from their hands and hurled them over in the dust, as Frank Sparkle exclaim- “Good evening, gentlemen !” ; With a smothered oath, both men leaped to their oe and were confronted ‘by a pistol **Move one step, Philip Deverell, and I'll feed the crows upon your bady: You perse- cuted my father, you are hunting me to the death, but just now, I have a full hand !” As the words rang forth from the lips of the Actor's Son, the arch plotter heard ariother voice again : “Bust my biler, but ain’t dis a rum go? ‘Lay on Macbeth,’ an’ strike me lively don't lay you out! Wictory ! shout, Sparkle, ’ere's a tablux fur de cert Sekt down on, a trumphanted over by wirtue. Hoor- ay CHAPTER VII. Ir will require no great exertion upon the reader’s part to recall the night of Frank Sparkle’s flight from the great metropolis, and he or she will enty remember that as the train swept away in the darkness, and the actor’s son step’ on the ties, and began ete a fed them, he came toa sudden halt as he glan quickly up and saw a man, Sif arms folded across his breast, glaring at im. It was scarcely light enough to distinguish the features of the person who put in such a strange and sudden appearance, but his atti- tude was of such a blood-curdling najure, that we may forgive Frank if he involuntar- ily drew back with a shudder. The stranger never moved his arms, never took his eyes from the boy’s face, but ad- vanced slowly, nearer and nearer. Frank was not a coward, but he somehow fancied this new-comer was an escaped luna- tic, and show me the man, be he ever so brave. who would not quail at such a meeting, and in such a place. Poe had backed several feet, his eyes still fixed upon those of the supposed mad- man, when, striking suddenly against one of the rails, he went sprawling over backward. The bundle slipped from the stick, the slim knots burst asunder, and as the young’ actor leaped to his feet, he saw his theatrical treas- ures lay scattered upon the earth in full view of the stranger and himself. His eyes wandered to the face of the new- comer; his, in turn, wandered to the bursted bundle, and then ‘a change came o’er the spirit of his dreams.” _tered slowly along, they gained upon him at} His face lit with surprise; a roomy aperture _ every fcot. tween his nose ‘and his chin exposed itself Sere gh he the first house. The boy had | freely ; his arms slipped apart and fell until _ been there also, and with light hearts they | his hands rested upon his -hips; his knees _ journeyed onward. bent, his head pled forward ; upon the Bt * Night came on. moment that all these contortions took place, ff ! muttered Deverell, as he surveyed |a hoarse sound came forth from that very _the gloomy surroundings. “ If the boy should aperture; and this sound, Frank Sparkle made ; to a stream with a-stone around out as: “ Strike well, and leave no blood stains up: fi ef Ij H’oh “H’Oh! strike me lively. Bustmy bloomin’ h’eyeballs h’if h’it aint a brother purfesh!” The change was so t, the man's appear- ance so ludicrous, that Frank burst into a loud laugh. “Are you an actor?” he asked, when he could recover his breath. *““H’am I! h’ain’t I! I’m a commedyun. What're you?” ‘I'm a juvenile ; but I didn’t think you were a fakir also.” z “Yer didn’t? vell, so’elp me. proper! Vot did yer take me fur?” ‘“* Well, to tell the plain truth,” replied our hero, “‘I though you an escaped lunatic,” The misjudged artiste Hees up his hands, ““H'Oh, me ’ome!” he cried. ‘‘ Me a loonytick—me? h’Oh, strike me lively? Vy, I'm a purfeshnal actor from the *Queen’s Besa o’ H’art an’ H’artists,’” “* Were you in the Bowery on the night of the fire?” ‘Vell, strike me lively! My name's Nic’las Dopp. You played Al, but ’im as did th’ comedy, ’e vastn’t h’a patch on me!” Frank felt his eee grow dim. ** Don’t speak ill of him,” he said, huskily. ss He was my father, and he perished in the re. Nicholas Dopp scratched his head. “T axes yer parding, Sparkle. Blest if I hain’t allus a-puttin” my foot in it. Come now, dene up_yer perqu’visits—yer vard- robe, mean, and step along. My vardrobe’s ‘id h’in a ’ole jist up the road, an’ if yer’ve no ubjeckshuns we'll pal together as far as yer in’, But see ’ere—vot does yer vant ter eave th’ city fur? Carn’t yer get no’ngage- ments?” ‘“*Oh, yes, plenty,” replied Frank, “butlike you, I'm on the tramp westward to seek a snap.” Then, as briefly as ible, he related all that had happened since leaving school, at which Nicholas Dopp marveled much, and expressed himself at its close: z “S’elp me proper, vouldn’t I like to ’ave a bust hi a that Phil’p Deverell’s claret case? "oh, no!” é aA this time, having walked on up the track some yards, they came toa curve, and switching off from the track, Dopp led the way to a sort of ravine, through which a slender, thread-like stream of water was gurgling, ** Velcomt to the ’alls of Capulet,” he said, flourishing his hand above his head. ** You see, Sparkle, [vas jest goin’ h’out to’ook a few pertatoes ven I met yer, an’ I thought as ‘ow yer vas a beadle— ak, I mean—no, I don’t! ’Ang it, perlicemen’s the word. Now fae sit down, make vermels comfort’ble, an” ‘ll slide h’out arter those ‘ere pertatoes, an” we'll ’ave a good supper afore we goes to sleep. There’s my vardrobe an’ my pistols h’if you vants to look h’over e’m vhile I'm gone. Be careful, though; them’s loaded— the pistols, [mean. By—by my bloomer, fur a seckont.” And with these words the Spe was gone, | leaving Frank with the articles he had hon- ored by the name of ‘“ wardrobe,” among which the really good pistols were the only articles of any value, although such words would have been more than sufficient to in- cur the ae eeneecnanity of Mr. Nicholas Dopp, comedian, of the ‘‘Queen’s Temple o’ H’art and H’artists.” Left alone, Frank flung himself down upon the earth, his locked Sunere clasped behind his head, his knees pointing upward, and his eyes riveted upon the starry skies. In ten minutes Nicholas Dopp returned with his arms laden with potatoes he had dug from a neighboring field. They gathered some brushwood, lit a fire, and cooked the vegetables in the flames, Of this meal they partook heartily, and then laid them down to sleep. Early next morning they were astir; the breakfast presented no change from their sup- per, and with the remainder of the raw pota- toes in their pockets, they trudged along up the tracks as happy as a pair of kings. It is needless to go further into detail con- cerning this tramp. Suffice it to ‘say, that while they were cooking their potatoes on the night when Philip Deverell and the blood- thirsty St. Gash came upon them, Frank hap- pened to cast his eyes out over the tracks, and there saw the twain approaching.
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THE ACTOR'S SON. ” He gave a violent start, and paced forward. **Vot’s h’up?’ cried Dopp, glancing quickly at him. *“*Hush! speak lower. I must get away from here ; Philip Deverell is eps ah the road in company with anotherman. Ah! they have seen the fire, and are creeping forward with knives in theirhands. I can doubt no longer—he seeks me, and has found my trail. For God’s sake, Nick, give me one of your pis- tols, and we will creep forward and surprise them—turther, if possible, disarm them and “Bla ” eri *“Blarst me bloomin’ h’eyes!” cried Dopp, passing him the pistol, ‘‘h’Oh, von’t ve pep- per ’is wart!” And bent upon this “‘ wart peppering” ex- pedition, the two young actors crept for- word to repulse their enemies, and with what success we have already seen. Philip Deverell had not counted upon such ds, and as he stood there with the barrel of a pistol glaring him straight in the eyes, his thoughts and words were far from being the best and holiest In the calendar. As for St. Gash, for once he did not dare to hurl his stiletto, as the gamin capered before him, pistol in hand, and shouted: “Bust my bread-basket! h’ain’t yer a bloomin’ pair o” beauties?” CHAPTER VIII. We must now ask the reader to pace over alapse of one week, and follow us to the picturesque little town of Piqua, in Ohio. The night is a damp and drizzling one; the heavy mists that hang over the earth render the airraw as a later March night, and but few people have turned out to witness the per- formance of a traveling company who have come in for three nights during the fair-time, to present the *‘ blood and thunder” drama to a people who will follow it with wide-open eyes and mouths, and go home to their beds as much in the dark concerning the plot as though they had never left their homes, ’ More’s the pity ; this style of play lives and is po ular to-day. en o'clock!” chimes forth the cracked bell in the church steeple, and hardly has the last echo died out upon the stillness, ere a woman comes in view, passing down the one street and on up the road where it breaks off ina dark, deep fringe of poplars that ‘toss in the wind to-night like gaunt, shadowy fingers that point upward toward a starless heaven. An ample cloak of the brightest scarlet falls in graceful foldsfrom her shoulders, and one end, flung over her head, formed its only covering. ; Lon Male. of white hair straggled down from this, fluttering in her sallow face, twist- ed around her scrawny throat, or patting her hollow cheeks. Her chin and nose are prom- inent through the loss of teeth, but her jet black eyes twinkle and flash wickedly, and as bright as those of twenty — Who was she? the reader will ask. For years the country people had ‘been do- ing the same thing, but beyond the fact that she lived in a tumbledown shanty far back in the ponies woods on the banks of a slug- glish sheet of water known as Elkton Pool, that her name was Hagar, and she was rtially demented, they knew nothing, and id not care much, Not a soul stopped the woman as she pass- ed on up the street, but coming suddenly upon a lamp whose light streamed over a poised poster, she halted and scanned it eagerly. er face changed ; thecolor faded out from it until those black eyes glared fiendishly. It was the first intimation Hagar had re- ceived that a theatrical company wasin town. She had passed the day at the fair, tellin fortunes and such to the people who believe her, and taking the money thus earned from a capacious pocket, she clutched’ it inher palm and strode forward towards the little theater. # “Give me a programme,” she said, striding up to the man at the door. That worthy complied with her wish, and snatching it from him, she ran her eyes hun- grily over the cast of characters. Her face grew even. whiter; her eyes twinkled more savagely; her thin lips closed tightly; and crushing the paper into a ball, she hurled it to the ground, and strode away in the darkness, muttering to herself: _ “Not there—not there! : : Then her head bowed upon her breast, the white hair fluttered unheeded into her face, ith \ Sud she moved slowly away up the muddy road, In a short time she reached the poplar woods. A few feet on, a barred gate guarded a straggling road beyond, but with an agility that her appearance belied, Hagar placed her hands upon this and vaulted over it. Never so much asa word did she utter as she passed on up this dismal avenue and emerged at length :n a sort of valley where lay the dank pool, and upon the other bank sued the rickety hut she was wont to call ome, /Moss and creepers almost covered it, but through a little window a gleam of light siole out upon the darkness, and from.a tall, brick chimney a faint trail of bluish smoke issued and drifted off through the trees, A rough ladder in one corner, led, by means of a trap, to an apartment above, and as she drew a chair up before the fire, Hagar cast a furtive glance towards it. «*Humph | asleep.” That was all she said, and fallfng back in the chair, she covered her face with her hands while a tear trickled from beneath her locked ices and fell upon the back of a cat that had leaped into her lap. Half an hour passed ; the weird woman did not move, until suddenly, without the least provocation she sprang to her feet, went through a strange pantomime expressive of a murder, and ended by falling flat upon the hearth. Her acting was ceful, her facial expres- sion most wonderful, and had any of the sim- le townfolk seen her then, they might have ancied at some time Hagar, the Prophetess, had been an actress, As suddenly as she had begun her acting she leaped to her feet, drew herself toward the chimney, and looking cautiously around, pulled outa brick, took forth a printed sli of paper and held it where the firelight coul stream upon it, while she read. “Nearly ei hteen years,” she muttered, that devil light coming again into her eye; “every hour has been a century of pain, but the end—ha—ha—ha! the end—the end!” _ CHAPTER IX. RETRACE we our steps to Frank Sparkle and Nicholas Dopp, whom we left holding Dever and the Italian at bay in the little en. Once the poops man essayed to spring forward upon his gallant young antagonist but Frank’s finger pressed the trigger, an tare saw that he only courted death. ck, yA ?’ / ‘Cover that ruffian and back towards me,” “* All right, me covey.” The gamin backed towards him, and when he was. near enough, Frank put forth his hand, took the pistol from him and covered St. Gash. He now held both at bay. ; Drop your knives!” he commanded. Both weapons fell to the earth with a me- tallic clank, ‘*Pick them up, Nick.” z Dopp did as desired, and when the knives were iu his possession, Frank said to the two men: ** Hold up your hands!” Up in the air went two pairs of hands. ‘Now, Nick, search them—take away what other weapons they may Have, but if either one moves a muscle, I’ll riddle him.” “Blowed h’if this 'ere h’ain’t prime!” said Dopp, as he went through the men’s pockets and extracted the revolvers Deverell had bought when he left New York. With four loaded pistols directed at them and themselves unarmed, you may imagine the men did not feel any too comfortable. _ Frank Sparkle’s face was radiant with Laas te With his eyes fixed on Deverell, he said: . * Gentlemen, you have followed me a long way but you haven’t caught me yet. You will, doubtless, follow me still further, but, with the help of Heaven, I will again elude you, Youseek my life, but_I wil give you yours. Now fly at full speed straight down the tracks towards the east, and the first who turns will sup on cold lead, Go!” The men needed no second bidding, but tore like mad towards the east, while our heroes snatched up their traps and fied westward ; never halting until some miles were between em, “Orray fur Sparkle an’ Dopp!" shouted the young comediam as they came to a halt. ** Ve vax ’em that time, Frank!” The young actor merely smiled and laid down to sleep. They were certain the men would not again attack them until they had refurnished them- — selves with weapons, and so slept soundly. Early the next morning they were astir, and after cooking a few potatoes and shoot- ing a pone of robins, they feasted well and went on their way. There was a smack of romance about this gypsying life that just suited Frank. mce or twice as ney Dare’ through towns, they saw the bills of theatrical companies, as- certained the way ele were going and press- ed on after in hopes of overtaking them. Thus a month elapsed, and one bright night they entered Piqua with the welcome know- ledge that a show was in progress. / Music clashed and crashed upon the air as mney passed up the street, and reaching the little and said: ** Look, here they are; we must see the man- er!” But Dopp grasped his arm and cried, as he pointed the opposite way: pas “Strike me lively, look there! Blest if there hain’t hopposishun,” play-house, Frank pointed to the bills. And sure enough a portable theater was © erected opposite, and the next moment anoth- er sheet-iron band began playing “‘See the Conquering Hero,” in various keys. _ This, mingled with “Annie Laurie” from the other side, and the shouting of both agents in this extreme dilemma, was by no means pleasant, and the crowds that thronged the street cheered both sides lustily. “Here you are, the finest show on earth. *Romeoand Juliet,’ ‘The Bleedin’ Buccaneer” and ‘ Macbeth’ to-nighh from the agent of the portable, and: “ Walk right in, ‘Cast-Iron‘Dick,’ ‘ The Slab- Sided Ruffian,’ and a first-class farce!” from the agent of ne opera-house company. Dopp’s face lit up. ES Bibw me if this hain’t like ome!” he said, clutching at Frank’s sleeve. ‘Go hit, little un, shout, Slab Sides, ’ooray!” By mistake both parties had hit the same town, and beth were desirous of carrying off the honors! “Finest show on earth!” 3 “No connection with other impostors. peat right in!” **Step up, now!” é “There” be a row,” said Frank; ‘‘ which manager will we see first?” “Suit yourself—I'm content.” ; Again the music burst forth, the shoutin agents bawled at the top of their lungs, ani the crowd cheered lustily. **Ooray! guv_ it ter ‘em! = hon, Mac- beth ! ’ooray! Look there, Frank. No reply. Nicholas Dopp turned sharply—the spot where the Actor’s son had been standing was vacant—Frank had suddenly disappeared, CHAPTER X, WueEn Nicholas Dopp turned so suddenly around, and found our hero gone, his first surmise was that Philip Deverell had put/in a sudden appearance, and spirited the young actor away. With his hand laid npon the butt of his revolver, and a decided low-comedy air, the eminent London comedian darted through the crowd in quest of Deverell. _ He carefully scanned the features of each one that he met, but no trace of Philip or St. Gash could he find. His fears now took a more formidable shape, and raising his voice he shouted. i, Sparkle rank, where h’are yer?” A hand was laid heavily upon his shoulder, and, turning, he saw our hero standing be- side him. They picked their way to the side door of the little theater, the only one the town could boast of save when, as now, a portable one came along. Frank had secured a_bill, and found the Manager’s name to be Mogul Neversink, so he boldly knocked upon the door and asked to see him, Q A frowsy-headed woman in a spanaed black velvet train that had seen its best days some draped the form of the bewitching leading lady of to-day (vide bills) pointed him out—a years previous, but, nevertheless, —
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} “THE ACTORS SON. . ‘slender, herring-shaped man ina glossy suit of black, pacing up and down the stage, tear- ing his hair, and giving utterance to language not heard in polite society. Frank doffed his hat and stepped forward. The ee manager stopped suddenly, eyed him from head to foot, and after a prelude of most expressive adjectives, demanded : “ Who're. you?: how. did you get here? where did you come from, and what do you want?” ; “Pm an actor, sir, and from New York. I want an engagement for leading juveniles.” “Oh, you do,eh? What's that beside you? One of your props, orpart of your wardrobe?’ Nick’s breast swelled proudly. _ No, sir,” he said, “‘I h’am Nich’las’ Dopp, the eminent Lunnon commedyun, from the Queen's Temple o’ H’art an H’artists.” ‘You are, eh?” demandéd Manager Mogul Neversink. ‘ Well, wedon’t want you.” ’ “ But, sir——” began Frank: ” Mogul Neversink waved his hand’ toward the door. “JT don’t want phe he’ bawled.' Git!” “But I am Frank Sparkle from the Bowery Theater.” “‘ Bowery Theater be blowed. ' Git, I'szy!” Humbled ‘and abashed, our two friends strode towards the door. On the threshold, Dick Dopp turned and waved his hand. “Veleaves ea he said, “but ter yer dyin’ h’our yer vill be “aunted by h’our ghosts, yer snaggle-toothed, pestiferous, last year’s bean stalk, yer——” His remarks were cut suddenly short by Manager Neversink snatching up a pound paint brush and purlingle at him. It struck him squarely in the stomach, and the eminent London comedian made an acro- batic exit ee the door. “Blow the h’old fox!” he gasped, when he struggled tohis feet. “Til git h’even with im! “Never mind, Nick,” laughed Frank, as they turned away, “‘ you got his brush, any- ow. Sadly they wended their way toward a farm-house, and creeping into the barn, found a hed in the sweet fragrant hay. In the Ser Etey sougut out the man- ager of the portable theater, Hogh Trugold, and stepping up, Frank raised his hat. “Mr. Trugold, I believe? My name is Frank Sparkle. Iamin quest of an engage- _ ment.” “ Have you ever played before ?” “ Oh, yes, I was the leading juvenile of the Bowery Theater at the time ofits destruc- . tion.” » compan “ Have you bills to prove that?” - For reply Frank pulled them from his pock- et and passed them to him. Evidently something plese the manager, for he shook our hero's hand and said: “Come in; I must speak with you.” After introducing Nick, Frank complied, and was led into the theater, a pretty affair, clean and neat as the proverbial new pin. » “ Mr. Sparkle,” said Trugold, motioning the boys to a seat, ‘“* you have come most oppor- tunely. I see by these bills you are upin *Romeo.’ Could you play the part to-night?” “‘Most ass’ y, sir.” “Do so, and I will give you ten dollars each per week and pay all expenses. Is this satisfactory?” The sum was not great, but both boys were overjoyed. Trugold excused himself for a few mo- ments, called ina man who had been tacking up pemtines and talked earnestly with him. The man gathered up some paint and brushes and upon the s' Manager Trugold returned to our heroes. ** Mr. p, what farces are you up in?” “* H’oh, I’m h'up b'in most h’all on ’em.” He then Sane with a list, and at length struck upon one with which Trugold’s were familiar, and this nounced for the night. ** Now,” said the manager, after they had been talking for a couple of hours, “ we will repair to the hotel, where you must be intro- duced to the company.” : In the best of spirits the boys passed out of the theater and weré surprised to see a vast crowd gathered around the entrance. Approaching nearer, they saw that a fresh- ly painted canvas was the center of attrac- tion, and on this was lettered in brilliant colors ; was an- left, “To-night—to-night! The event of the, nine- teenth century! teneamenienh of the famous and talented actor, Mr. Frank Sparkle, whose escape from the fire at the New York Bowery Theater has excited the whole world, and produced a fu- rore only second to his wonderful acting. Also, first appearance of the famous. comedian, Mr. Nicholas Dopp, of the Queen’s Temple of Art, Lon- don, England, A glorious bill—three great plays!” And beside this glowing announcement were the bills of the Bowery Theater in neat ay clearly proving the identity of our ero. . This was the straw at which Trugold had clutched, ‘and it was Jikely to prove a Solid one. ; ies The two boys were led to the little house that flattered itself by the title of hotel; a wagon ‘was secured, this ‘in: turn was plas- tered over with panegyric’ announcements, and led ‘by the band, they paraded the’ fairs areas to’ the delight ard astonishment of all. : ; The little theater was packed to suffoca- tion, and on the steps of the opera house Man- ager Mogul! Neversink cursed his folly in let- ting the boys slip through his fingers, and finally closed’ his doors in’ utter despair and for not a soul entered his show. The performance opened with’ the farce, and comical Nick Dopp carried'the house by storm. Then followed a dark, mysterious and gloomy outrage, called the ‘‘ Bleeding Buc- caneer,” and then—‘ Romeo and Juliet.” The heroine was a lovely miss, who, at the least, acted intelligibly, and more than leased the audience, who went into hyster- ical delight at the clever acting, handsome face and well-padded form of Frank. Our ‘hero’s dresses were new and bright, and if the audience did not appreciate his act- ing as well as they should, the glittering tin- sels and glossy satins elicited volleys of ad- miring “Oh’s!” and the pretty country girls voted him ‘‘just too lovely to live.” His triumph was complete. The play proceeded ; and at the end of the fourth act the handsome young Romeo was called before the curtain to answer to a vol- ley of cheers, At that instant a bouquet tore through the air and fell directly at his feet. The young actor drew back as though stung by an adder, and gaspe : ‘* White roses! The signal of danger!” Then his wild eyes roved over the house in quest of Philip Deverell; but he was nowhere in Ss! “ He threw it; I knowit,” muttered Frank, as he picked up the bouquet and bowed off. : CHAPTER XI. On the night of Frank Sparkle’s appear- ance at the portable theater old Hagar stood in the shadow of the ruined hut, her eyes fastened on the ripple-stirred bosom of the dark pool, the wind playing idly through her white tresses, and her bony fingers opening and closing with a convulsive movement. **Ha—ha—ha!” she chuckled, feebly, ‘‘a show in town—two shows in town! Oh, I'll go to-morrow!” Then acloud obscured the face of the moon, a shadow distorted the features of the proph- etess, and she fairly hissed: “Ts he there? Is he? Blood—blood to drown himinit! He lives yet; I know it; we shall meet again, and ‘like the hungry ti- gress, battling for its young, I'll tear my vic- tim limb from limb!) Ho—ho—ho! One blow, ay, two, three, but I'll have a thousand for each one, and a million for this!” As she spoke, the weird woman rent the crimson felds of the drapery from her head, and revealed a dark, pe le scar across the upper part of her forehead. hen turning upon her heel she strode into the hut and cast a dry log upon the fire. It soon ‘burst into flames, and with the weird light shivering over the scene, the half demented creature locked the door, or rather barred it, hung a heavy cloth over the win- dow, and darting to the ladder, began climb- ing rapidly up it towards the loft above. he light was but faint here, yet strong pace h aes disclose a long, narrow box, secure- y_locked. , With folded arms, the prophetess surveyed this for an instant and chuckled : ; “* Ha—ha—ha! asleep!” Merely these words, then she fumbled in her pocket, produced a key, and falling upon Sense sets sees ene ey eset ppp eosin eens, —— ey her knees, inserted it in.the lock and turned it briskly. A sharp, clicking sound—the lid flew up and disclosed—a human skeleton! ladder as Phong well aware for what it was called, she took it. into her.arms and cast it into. the box. ‘\Gnaw .’em, Sancho, chew the bones; crumble ’em to powder, that he may see my work.’ He slew her, not me. She. was going to die but I would not spare the blow. Venge- ance ison the trail, murder is in.the wind, and blood—blood everywhere. Gnaw, chew, rind, Sancho, good cat, brave boy, ha—ha— a! we'll find him yet, an’ then, woe—woe— woe! Ha—ha—ha!” 3 ‘Sancho gnaw at the dead bones, the hor- rible sound filling the air and the flicker from the burning log in the room below lighting up. the unhallowed place... , - | Hour atter hour the half-crazed woman sat there and watched. the feline’s ghastly feast. The darkness of night died,ont, and when the dull, gray streaks of coming dawn'stream- ed athwart the eastern ‘sky, she arose, called off the cat, locked the box and shambled to her wretched couch. The afternoon waned, the night drew o and in the shadow of her rude hut the woman stood jawaiting the hour when she should away on her mission of vengeance. . The shadows deepened. Still she stood there, jingling somecoins in her. skinny. palm, her eyes fixed on the noisome bosom of the fetid pool, and her ears drinking in the distant sounds of the band, that told her the hour for the performance had drawn on. ; ( . “ Now I will go,” she chuckled. She took a mock-jewel-hilted dagger, evi- dently a stage prop, from a chest, sharpened it upon a stone, and concealing it beneath her drapery, barred the door and’ stalked to- ward the town. She reached the long street and slowly down it, her eyes bent upon the ground, until the lights of the portable thea- ter informed her of her journey’s end; then with that hideous leer on her face, she glide ‘orward. Her eyes fell upon the canvas placard. She started, grew pale, and drew nearer. then those great, BMD ET YLOES flashed lower, fell upon the name of the Actor’s Son, and she drew back with a gurgle of delight. “« Sparkle—ay, that’s the name—the furies are just—revenge—revenge!” CHAPTER XIL WHEN Frank Sparkle tottered off the stage with the white bouquet in his nerve- less fingers, the members of the company crowd around him, and were lavish in their praise of his acting. Even the “juvenile” who had before play- ed Romeo, and naturally felt somewhat iqued at the chee forgot his anger, and fixe a'true son of Thespis, grasped the boy's hand and said: - “Sparkle, you’re immense; nang. me if the change isn’t the best card Trugold has shown this season.” The LOUNE, actor looked the thankfulness his heart forbade him utter, then as he caught ‘those welcome words he shook the ‘‘juvenile’s ” hand heartily and then turned toward the dressing-room. Then the frightened, pallid stoniness came back into his face, and tossing the bou- quet to Juliet with a poor attemptat a smile, he bade her take it and glided into the room to change. Here were assembled other members of the company, for, in “taking the road” with an organization of this kind the gentlemen are often obliged to dress together, and on every side the young actor was met with words of deep-felt praise. : ick pp was there, dressed for the street, and as Frank entered he arose and came towards him with outstretched hands. Then as he drew him aside he whispered : ““What makes ,yer so pale? Yer tight strap ais’t busted, as h’it?” $. Xo," he said, “either not quite so bad as ae or much worse—Philip Deverell is in ro.t.” “ Blast me wes'cut! Yer don’t mean h’itf” Frank then proceeded to tell him the s of the roses, and his reasons for helene enemy near. The comical, frightened look that had first come ‘over the comedian’s face Summoning her cat, which leaped upon the © “¢ To-night—to-night!” she read, half aloud ; ~
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A iXe Aa) THE ACTOR'S SON. 9 broke away, and. as our hero concluded he burst into a hearty guffaw. : - ‘Ho, ho, ho! Dash my buttons! knock me inter a red flannin’ peddicut, hain’t yer jolly en. Vy, hit’s some/gal, has.’as gone hotf er nut arter yer, hand throwed yer them ’ere blossoms ter show ‘er happreciation .hof yer booty hand helegance. “I'ain’t no more Philip Dev’rell than hit’s me as chucked ’em.”. Somewhat, reassured, Frank .made, -his change of costume, and the tragedy proceed- ed, although our hero's eyes would often wan- ‘der over the house in search of Deyerell or the villainous St. Gash, but he saw neither. * wet * % * The play was over; Juliet had joined her poisoned lover; the lights were put ont, and the performers making all haste to repair to the hotel. : {9-—Sai67 ies Quietly packing up*his wardrobe, Frank ave it to Nick, and with the leading lady on is arm, followed by Dopp and the soubrette, accompanied the party home to the hotel. , In the hallway our hero called the,eminent London comedian aside, and said: Sy ** See here, Nick, I feel blue.and downcast; those flowers have affected) me—although I don’t believe Deverell was there, after all. I'm going to take a stroll down the road a bit; you needn’t wait up for me... Good: night.” : i , "Ave yer gota “No: there will light laugh ; “‘I shan’t be attacked. of) * Well, then, good-night. All ask hof.yer his ter keep yer blinkers peeled.” “rt ; Our hero nodded his head, and passed out into the mellow moonlit roadway. Reaching a cutting where a slanting path- way hedged in by rows of briars, swery from the roadway proper towards a patch of woodland below, the young actor charmed by the natural beauty, of the spot beneath the telling effects of a swelling moon, strolled leisurely into it, and slowly began the de- * * pistol ” fad Ls on no need for one, ’ witha Scent. d The briar path led on for half a mile, then it wound off through the ‘pine patch, and as our hero entered this, he more than half fan- cied he heard a soft, stealthy footfall crush the leaves and twigs behindhim. — He turned quickly, but the moonlight alone was in the road. He took a half dozen steps forward; the fancied crash became reality, as two men jeap- ed from the shadow of the brushwood and ssized him. 1 A single glance told him who they were— GiovanniSt. Gash and Philip Deverill! “Good God! trapped!” he, gasped, as he reeled back, “ trapped, and I am unarmed! Philip Deverell folded his arms and, glared at him—a chilling sneer curling his lips. “ 0, my beauty, you are in my power at last.” Philip Deverell,” cried Frank, ‘ why do you hunt me down? What amIto you “A viper!” hissed the man, “a deadly, poisonous viper, and I mean to crush you. Away with him, St. Gash!” The Italian pushed the boy back against a tree, bound him with a cord he took from his packets and then stepped back to view his work. ** Vera goot. Youa maka de fine corpse !” Without deigning to Philip Devere said: “Let one stab pierce his heart—the body may be left in the road. We will not be sus- os ea for the law respects gentility. row : : The murderous Italian plucked a stilletto from his breast, seized the needle-like point between the thumb and first finger of his right hand, and lifted it above his head to hurl it at the helpleas victim. “God help me!” moaned Frank, closing his eyes, in momentary expectation of death. “© Von, twoa, thr— “* Hold!” A brawny figure strode through the thicket, stood up before the boy, and faced ants with a glance of fire. *“Maledictions! Who are you?” “Well, I might be Christopher Columbus, but I ain't,” was the reply of the new-comer, as he freed the boy; “‘but forall that I love fair play, and I’m going to see it.” The knife had fallen from Giovanni's hand, and he lea forward to regain it. _ Sacre! he hissed. “Standa aside, or my knife drinka your heart’s blood!” speak to the boy. turned, faced Giovanni and his assail- ad V. a ed h th d N. h ! rd d Q pan ae surikels shrieked, Deverell, as the Italian spoke..... ; ME cts The glittering stiletto leaped into the air, but before it could be hurled forward on its deadly mission, St. Gash awoke to the reality that a pistol barrel was glaring him straight in the eyes. ......., + ; ““A pretty good point, Macaroni, but I go you several better. I know you, Philip Dev- erell, and I hate you only worse than the car- rion vulture, .. e “This has been a deep-laid plot, but just now. have the upper hand. ‘*Wolf-hearted monster, you seek this lad’s life—come and take 1t.at your peril, By the God that sees us, I'll brain the first man who dares to advance and stay the boy! “Now, cowards, show your pluck!” : ‘CHAPTER XIIL : Not one foot did either of those desperate men advance, as the new-comer hurled that defiant challenge at them, and bade him who dared come and take the boy from behind the pistol he clutched in his iron-like grasp. « You are,a pretty plucky fellow, Philip Deverell,” the man chuckled, ‘“‘but you have met your match this time.” . ou?’ re-demanded Deverell. name?” ; chilling laugh, iquid poison in ““ Who; are, “How do,you know m The stranger laughed a | whose every note gurgled like the ears of his listeners. ; : ** How dol know your name? Ha-ha-ha! well I like that. How could any man mistake ou when it is written so plainly. on your orehead. You call yourself Paveretis but the fiends know you better, for they have spelled it there—Devil-Hell, and by the Eternal, they do know you well when they change the or- thography. like that.” . Deverell’s face grew livid with rage. _‘‘ A truce to this,” he foamed. “By what right do you interfere?” “Right! prabe right of justice. You'd like to slay that boy, wouldn't you? Just as the Lape ot fiend beside you slew. his protector, Sam Sparkle !” Frank leaped forward. “* Did he kill my father?” he cried. “No: but Mr. Devil-hell did. Sam Sparkle was not your father, the man who hunted him down knows who he was. Look athim, Philip Deverell and tell him I have lied—if you can! Tell him that Harvey Arlington still lies when he says youjslew his father in cold blood, still lies when he says you are his uncle, the brother of the man you killed !” _ While he was speaking the pistol had fal- len at his side, and ashe caught those fatal words and knew that his secret was out, Philip Deverell leaped forward. The hand clutching the pisto! Jeaped EP but before Harvey Arlington’s finger could ress the trigger, the weapon was dashed rom his hand and his infuriated and blood- hungry assailant closed with him. __ “You know too much!” he hissed, as they went crashing to the ground, ° Over and over went the combatants; as Philip Deverell gained the upper hand, he cried: . “Quick, St. Gash, the boy!” __ ; The Italian leaped forward, seized the sti- letto and whirled it about his head, Whizz! the deadly missile whirled through the air,and as Frank saw it Fomine. he dro ped upon his face, while the keen, slend- er blade buried itself in the tree where he had been standin, _ As he fell, oa hero’s hand touched the fal- len pistol, and he gripped. it eagerly. : ith a wild, animal-like howl Giovanni St. Gash leaped towards him. - “’Saera! youa shall nota escapa! : With a single bound, Frank leaped to his feet and leveled the pistol fairly at his head. “Sha'n’t 1? well, now, old cockalorum, don,t you be too sure of that!” The Italian halted in his onward progress, lared down the smooth, glittering barrel of the pistol, and with a howl of rage, turned tail and fled at full speed up the moonlit road. Frank discharged a shot after him, but the bullet flew wide of its mark, , He then furned his attention to Philip Deverell and Harvey Arlington, but the man recognized his peril, saw the turn affairs had taken, and shaking Harvey from his hold, bounded to his feet and fled after his com- ion in crime, **Fire after him—kill him!” hissed Arling- ton, springing to his feet, but Frank’s hand ee ped to his’side and he shook his head sadly. ‘ *““No,” he said. ‘* You have declared him my_uncle—he did not deny it; and be his faults what they may, blood should not re- yolt against blood, I cannot kill him even if he did slay my father.” spt Harvey Arlington hung his head. > _ ““Oh, my God!” he moaned, “I should have remembered that. Why did I not kill him myself when he was in my power? Better, far better, that I should swing for that, than * he should live to torment and to torture you! Give me the pistol, boy!” ae Butyou must promise me you will not kill im. : **T promise,” said the man, and he took the weapon from our hero’s hand, and Frank re- joined: % be apes) ae Pate “Let him go; et the law. be his. punish- ment. He will run to theend of his rope and then it will hang him. Evil never iriumphs long, Mr. Arlington. “It is like\a cat—it has nine lives, but let it hang long enough and it would die if it had twenty.” ; Harvey Arlington laughed softly and slid his arm into our hero’s; : ny, ‘*You are quite a philosopher, Frank,” he said, ‘“but come mow, let us get back to the hotel.” 3 ** Are you stopping there, sir?” _ “Yes, Icameon from New York: ing in search of you,” t “Of me?” ra 4 . 3 - ** Precisely. No doubt you are surprised at the interest [take in you. Learn then that I knew and loved your father, and vowed to compass the death of his destroyer. I also knew the man who reared you and taught you to believe yourself his own—Sam Sparile: the comedian. ; - The strangers voice grew husky as he spoke, and Frank saw him brush away a tear, but for whichman. , . ““Of course you knew of his death, Mr. Ar- lington ?” . ‘Yes; he was stabbed by that Italian. I saw it done.” ii He then proceeded to tell the story of: the murder, at which our hero marveled much for he believed the old comedian had perished by the flames. “‘God help me to bring his assassin to the scaffold,” he moaned, “for I will do it, Mr. Arlington.” } “* Heaven bless you, boy, for your kindness. You have been kept in the dark too long; to- morrow I will tell you all, and you may then put in your claim to the vast wealth which is yours by right at your Mod the I would tell ou now, but my heart is heavy; you shall snow all on the morrow.” % “On the morrow; how blind are mortals, for with all their ingenuity they cannot fore- see a trifle of the future; cannot probe the neee mysteries of those two small words—to this morn- Arm in arm the stranger and the boy pass- ed up the moonlit road, turned into the main ean and bent their footsteps toward the otel. . As they reached the portable theater— which stood on a space where years after Conover’s Opera House was erected—a figure rushed forward from the darkness beyond, and the result was a collision between both parties. *H’oh, me vind! Blarst h’it hall, carn’t yer keep h’outen h’other people’s vay ¢” ** Nick!” cried Frank, in surprise, as he rec- ognized the speaker by his voice, ““ what the deuce brings you out at this time of night?” — The comedian scrambled up from the dust where he had fallen by force of the meeting, and rushed headlong at Sparkle. “Vot, Frank! Blow me h’ifI h’ain’t glad ter see yer! I thought h’as’ow yer was h’a stiff long h’afore this.” “ Butthatis not answering my question. _— What bring you out here?” ¢ “Blarst hit all,” replied Nick, “ vot do yer arsk me that fur: when ’Ive h’answered yer? Don’t I tell yer I thought yer vas a stiff? I felt summat h’a- ow yer vas h’in trouble, h’andI couldn’tsleep yer know; so I jist got h’up, shuffled h’inter me togs h’and come h’cut h’arter yer. But I didn’t come h’un- armed—look!” He opened his coat as he spoke and display- ed a perfect arsenal beneath; then, with a sudden, serio-comic air, he seized our hero by the arm and whispered in his ear: :
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10 THE ACTORS SON, . ssT of Frank, who's the h’old bloke h’alongside hon 8 erst Sk aa peedily as possible young e made him acquainted with “Aes “old bloke” in question, and informed him of the inestim- able service he had done him. Nicholas Dopp seized Arlington’s hand, and wrung it so heartily that Harvey looked to be certain that it was not loose at the wrists. By this time they had reached the hotel, and all three passed up the narrow stairway. On the Boge landing Harvey Arlington seized Frank's hand, shook it fervently, and passed into his room. ‘Rs a prime sort of a chap, Sparkle,” said Nick, as they reached our hero's door, “ but I’m glad’e’s gone fur there's summat h’as I wants ter arsk yer, now that Philip Dev’rell’s turned i S “ Well, fire away, old man, but make it in one act, for I’m deucedly sleepy.” “Frank,” and the eminent London com- edian’s voice sank to a low whisper, “‘ yer wants a pertector.” ““No! do I, though?” “ Ay, that you do. This Dev’rell’s a desper- ate cove, h’and ’e’d sand yer nut h’as quick h’as ’e'd vink ‘is bleedin” h’eyes, yer know. Now take my h’advice, let me sleep h’in the room vid yer ter night. Yer know you're h’on the h’outside h’of the ’ouse, h’and h’a eet might h’easily get h’'in. Jest let me urn h’in how, h’and ven I sleeps I'll be vide avake h’all ait long. Do now.” Frank laughed and shook his head. “No, I thank you, Nick; I'm safe enough, Philip Deverell wouldn't dare seek me here; T’m too well surrounded to be fearful of that. Good So eae “G night. Von't Ob now ?” “No. Good night. rehearsal.” The chamber door closed softly. The emi- nent comedian stood alone in the hallway. - ‘“"E yon't be varned,” he muttered. ‘* But blarst my bloomin’ heyes h’f I'll leave im Raneware And with this queerly expressed sentiment Nicholas Dopp laid down to sleep on the door-mat, with his left hand resting on the butt of one pistol, and his right clutching the muzzle of another. * * * * * * * *¢ Ab!" A low, muffled cry of pain. Nick started up into full wakefulness and sat up. “Ah!” the cry came again. “Good God! h'it’s Frank!” CHAPTER XIV. WE left the mad prophetess standing be fore the flaming sign bearing our hero’s name, in front of the portable theater. Deep, dark flashes of light burned and J, spn eret in her coal-black eyes as she read t e boy’s name, and hate, fierce, terrible, un- dyin ate—swayed her gaunt form and dis- pated * = her white face. ** We meet—we meet?” she hissed. ‘‘ Loved once, now doubly despised ; I shall nerve my arm for the fatal stroke of vengeance, the bloody retaliation !" Then, and for an instant only, the memory of an old loves rang up in her heart, soften- ed the light in her ore and gave battle to the words of vengeance Satan whispered in her ear. : They were equally matched antagonists: sometimes one wavered, sometimes the other, but the conflict was short lived and the fiend was victorious. Still clutching her dagger, she strode for- ward and passed into the theater. As we have said, it was densely packed, and baving arrived late, Hagar was unable to find a sea Slinking back in the shadow of a pillar, she turned those glittering eyes, sparklin with their bitter light, towards the stage an watched for him. * Many in the crowd glanced at her and won- dered to see the weird woman, the seeress and the prophetess they were wont to call her, throwing off her mantle of silent muni- mery and mingling with the throng in the hall of Thespis. Ah! how little they knew of mad Hagar’s t. Pathe roar of the orchestra had died out, the curtain rolled upward with a soft rustle, the farce went on, the mysterious drama follow- ed, and then came the tragedy. ake me in time for] y The woman’s heart beat quicker. Her eyes sparkled—her face paled, and the hand be- neath her flaming mantle clutched convul- gives at the hilt of the jeweled dagger. A low, soft swell of music, then a flutter among the audience, and as she bent forward she heard a man whisper to his companion: ** Here he comes!” ** Here he comes!” she repeated, huskily, as a tumult of applause shook the canvas sides of the theater, but the words were drowned and lost. The applause w louder; her eyelids drooped with excitement, and when next she raised them Frank Sparkle stood upon the s e spoke; her ear drank in the sound, her face grew even whiter, and her form shook as with palsy. She reeled, drew back, and gas c : «The furies are false; tis the wrong man!” Looking forward to the meeting had taxed her sorely, but to find she was mistaken was the last straw that broke the camel's back; and with those words still warm upon her lips, she fell backward to the floor in a death- like swoon. Strong arms raised her tenderly, and bore her from the theater, but herizon clutch up- on the jewel-studded hilt of the stage dagger never relaxed. When consciousness returned the cool air fanned her face, she saw the stars above er. She arose to go, but a man stepped to her side and bent over her. ‘Are you better, ma’am ?” She looked at him, passed her hand over | head her brow to collect her thoughts, and then replied Jy - nthe What's the matter? Who are ‘ou “You fainted in the theater, for reply to }1 am your first question, and to your second, the manager.” She sprang up like a tigress. fe caso the manager! Then you know im ““Him—who?" replied Trugold. “The actor—Sparkle.” “Well, rather, considering I pay his sal- ary.” She drew nearerand clutched his arm, _ *“Who is he? Where did he come from? Speak! Why do you stand there like a statue? Answerme Whois he?” Hugh Trugold looked at her as though she had taken leave of her senses, “Don’t you understand me?” shrieked Hagar, shaking him like a refractory poodle. ““ Are you dumb? Who is this Sparkle?” ““ Why, he’s Sparkle, of course. That's all I know.” ** Whence comes he?” “From New York. Himself and a man came— A man?” questioned Hagar “Is he nota man? Trugold shook his head. is Not yet; he is scarcely more than eigh- nm.” The prophetess glared him in the eyes as if toread his thoughts and probe the truth of his replies, then with © an’ “inexpressive “ Hump!” turned abruptly upon her heel, and strode away in the darkness, leaving the shaken manager to gaze after her in undis- guised surprise. “Phew!” he whistled, “if she hasn't a shingle loose on her upper story, then I’m off my nut!” And having thus given vent to his feelings, he turned back into the’ theater. As for Hagar, she passed some feet up the road, hid the dagger, and clasped her head in her hands. 4 “I’ve heard ’em call me mad,” she mutter- ed. “I wonder if I am. It was’ his name, but it was not his face, form, nor voice; he should be old; he should be gray-white, like me. Still—still, this Sparkle’s voice was like one I have heard often somewhere, in my dreams Na Be ie It is that of —of—of— oes God! am I mad, that I cannot remem- r - ** Names, faces, voices of the past crowd upon me, but I cannot place one of them, yet llive in the mist of by-gone days. “What if I should die after all without meeting him? No—no—no! I must not think of it—I won't. Home—home, to watch, to wait until he comes, ha—ha—ha! until he comes!” She reeled on up the road a few yards, but just as she came toa dark curve, she caught the sound of men conversing, and as she sank back in the shadow, she muttered : * Voices—voices ; I know one of them, but whose is it?” Again her hands wandered over her wrinkled brow as if to collect her scattered thoughts—scattered by insanity—and at that. instant, Philip Deverell and Giovanni St. Gash came down the road on their way to the theater. They were talking earnestly, and Hagar 4 drank in every word the former spoke, while her face assumed a puzzled air. Nearer they came, the faint light showed u the features of both, as it streamed throug the interlaced boughs, then passed onward and the weird prop. etess was alone. She dregged erself into the middle of the road, and followed Philip Deverell with her she until the darkness hid him from her sight. % That voice—that voice,” she muttered, ““where—where? It is—it is—oh! I have for- gotten!” **She passed up the road, picked her way through the pop ar woods, skirted the fetid | and pushed open the door of her habita- tion, all the time muttering of Deverell. She took the jeweled dagger from its hid- ing-place, put it carefully away, and tossing off er ee flung herself upon her couch and called her cat to her. “They say we're mad, Sancho, but we have met that man before. I should know that face; I have seen it before, but where— where? Think, Sancho, brave boy, good cat, think for me. It’s all muddle here in my a I know him—he is—pshaw! am [ m aa CHAPTER XV. For an instant, Nicholas Dopp was para- zed. we Vot the blazes does h’it mean? I could swear h’as’ow I’earn Frank a callin’ h’out fur ’elp, but h’it’s stopped now. ‘“‘Blarst h’it h’all, h’its them ’ere purtatoes h’as I h'eat fur me supper h’a risin’ h’on me stomach. H’I’ve got the nightmare, that’s h’all h’about h’it. Blang my blarsted but- tons h'if h’ever I h’eats h’any more h’of th’ bleedin’ vegetables n’if they be goin’ ter serve I like this "ere, "Ang hit! I'll jest lay down h’agin h'and snatch a wink h’of sleep.” Accordingly he flung himself back upon the mat, and closed his eyes. ** Help—oh, my God, help!” Shrill, clear, cutting like a knife, the er rang out upon the night air, and with a sud- den bound, Nick leaped to his feet. “Blow my vescut h’if h'it h’is the purta- tee Hit’s Frank, h’and summat’s th’ mat- He leaped forward and dealt the door a heavy blow with his clenched fist. “ Frank—Frank! vot’s h’up? H'open the door, like a goed lad, I arsk yer.” ‘*Nick, help—" The cry was cut short as though a heavy hand had clutched the speaker's throat, and with a yell of defiance that awoke every soul in the house, Nick ran back a few feet and flung himself against the door. With a crash and a splinter it was hurled from its hinges, fell inward and precipitated the comedian to the floor. The next moment he found himself in the grasp of Giovanni St. Gash, while Frank was ess ie in the arms of Philip Deverell. ‘** Maledictions ! too late!” hissed Deverell, as he caught the sound of feet hurrying along the hall; ‘kill the whelp, St. Gash, we must escape |” Nery. considerate indeed upon the part of Mr. Philip: Deverell, but Giovanni St. Gash was spared the trouble of following his in- structions by the whelp in question dealing him a heavy blow under the ear, and sending kim sprawling towards the open window. Bang—bang—bang! rang forth the pistols the comedian had fortified himself with, but in the excitement, the bullets flew wide of the mark, There was a ladder against the window, and with a blood-curdling oath, Giovanni St- eeee leaped upon this, and shouted to Der- erell: **Come, wea bea de capture !” The next instant, a crowd headed by Harry Arlington, burst into the room, He saw Deverell as he was im the act. of escaping, sprang forward, snatched a loaded pistol from Nick, and leveled it at him i
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THE ACTOR'S SON. 11 Quick as a flash, the desperate man grab- bed our hero from the as a shield. “ Why don’t antly. “ You held the best hand a while ago, now it is my turn! Shoot, fire if you dare, for your bu through his !” CHAPTER XVI. Wirs the reader’s attention and permis- sion, return we now to Philip Deverell and the villainous Italian, whom last we saw fly- to escape the bullets of the it remembered he to shoot at the former, after ing up the actors. son; although had refused hearing the bond of relationship existing be- tween them. The knowledge that Philip Deverell pan pe ran Sparkle, but he choked down his sentiments uncle, had been bitter indeed to upon that score, and wisely forbore mention- ing them to either Harvey Arlington or Nich- olas Dopp. P “Oh, my God!” was his thought, *‘ that this bond of blood should forbid me slaying my father’s assassin. Why did [ ever hear it, or hearing it, why was I not made less sensi- Blood revolted against blood in the days of Adam and Eve, but a curse followed it! I cannot punik him, but the law shall. tive? Step by step I will follow him to death itself, the scaffold rope!” Still, with this sentiment in his heart, he wore a smiling face, and his white lips framed other words. But this silent thought was an oath, and Frank Sparkle mentally resolved to keep it, if he did not express it orally. The actor’s son was one of those. boy-men whose life, hazarded upon the die, would never relinquish his resolve, be it years in {reasoning from peat History records youthful minds, and, although I do not hold mny hero up asa god, and say: ‘‘Here, look at him; is he not brave? Follow in his foot- steps,” Ido maintain that his better’ senti- ments, respecting the bonds of relationship, and his undying love for parents and friends, are such as would well befit the youth of our country, irrespective of the social scale, to emulate, How Frank and Arlington encountered Dopp on the journey homeward is already known to the reader, as is the scene in our hero’s room, but return we to Deverell, and ascertain how he gained admittance there. Where the dark, wood-fringed pathway forked out from the road proper, Philip came upon St. Gash, who was crouching back in the brushwood and glaring up and down the When, however, he caught sight of Dever- ell, he sprang up and bounded to his side, “Sacra! the saints bea de bless! Youa area de safe. Maledictions ona de whelp, Ia cr-rusha hima yet!” He lifted his clenched fist in the air as he spoke, and his dark, satanic face wore a look of repulsive rage. Philip Deverell wheeled and faced him, his distorted features white as ashes. “Crush!” he fairly hissed, ‘‘crush! You talk thus; let me but close these fingers on his throat, and by the demons who prate of vengeance, I'll not relinquish my hold till the last orn of blood forsakes his body and lays him lifeless at my feet. Asfor this man, this Harvey Arlington, no martyr on the rack, in one whole day of. torture, ever felt the pangs Til crowd into one minute for him! “Curse him — curse him—curRsE HIM! Whence came he? Who is he? And, above all, that hideous secret of my dark past, that awful specter of my bitter future and _horri- ble present, how knows he that? “Has hell, in which I so Jong trusted, turn- ed back upon me in this, my needy hour? I meant to slay this boy before he learned the secret of my enmity; now it must be done, and without deiay, though I peril my neck in accomplishing it. I hate him, oh, Satan, I hate him!” s “Ay, youa hate!” foamed Giovanni, “ but ita youa lofed him, I woulda not spare hima e now. “Twice has he baffled me—Ia canna de hit him, but Ia willa yet—Ia willa yet, d— him! Ia nevair meesa\ma mark beafore, and it makes my blood boil to doa so now! __ Dear as was Philip Deverell’s vengeance to him, dearer, far dearer to Giovanni was his i and leaped upon the window-sill, holding him up before him ou shoot?” he cried, exult- ets will only reach my heart his life into nothingness with reputation as knife thrower, and his failure, while it embittered him, urged him on to eventually accomplish the unhallowed task. He was about to speak again, but Deverell held up his hand warningly, and bent for- ward in the attitude of listening, ‘* Hist!” he said, “‘I hear their voices ; they are coming up the road.” “‘Cursa, Ia paya him now!” hissed the Ital- ian, leaping forward with clenched fists, With one bound Philip Deverell reached his side and grasped bis arm. “Are you mad, St. Gash? Back—back to shelter or we peril ourselves. We must work silently. ’Sh-h! they are coming; we will track them home and force an entrance to the boy’s apartment. “He once put out of the way it is an easy task to slay this Arlington, and close thus the only mouth that can give out my secret. Back—back, I say!” By main force he drew the Italian back into the brushwood; but not a moment too soon, for scarcely had they well concealed themselves ere Frank and Arlington came up the road and passed within a foot of them on their way to the hotel, On went the young actor and his new-found friend, and on too went the two plotters not a dozen yards in their rear. They saw the meeting between Frank and Nick, but carefully slipping along in the shadow of the trees they followed the trio until the hotel was reached. _ When the door closed upon them, Deverell came forward. * Hist! St. Gash.” “Well?” asked Giovanni, coming forward to his side. 3 ““They have gonein; quick, let us get with- in the fea We can pasty tell which room he occupies by the light. Come!” Silently striding forward, they grasped the alings, and vaulting lightly over them, ieee themselves within the grounds sur- rounding the hotel. Stealthily as the noiseless footfalls of sin they crept around to the side of the house. At that instant a light flashed up in one of the windows and the shadow of a man was ee upon the Aon iy t was Harve rlington. é Deverell iad his teeth and shook his fist at the shadow. “T do not want you yet,” he ,hissed, “ but the day will come—— ‘A low exclamation from Giovanni attract- ed his attention, and he turned quickly to see the Italian bending over something Jying |: on the grass. “What's up!” “Look, a ladder.” * Deverell was about to make Spee but at that very instant another light flashed up, and Frank Sparkle threw up his window to admit the night air, . They could see his shadow as he disrobed, then the light went out again, and all was darkness, Crouching back in the shadow, the men awaited the time to strike. An hour passed. “Now!” muttered Deverell, gliding for- ward. ; They raised the ladder against the house, and with his foot on the lower rung, Philip turned and whispered: **T will strangle him—it is clean and sure.” Then the two forms glided upward like shadows, lifted the curtain and slip ed into the apartment where Frank Sparkle lay sleeping soundly, CHAPTER XVII. TIPTOEING his way to the couch, Philip Deverell bent over the sleeping boy. He day upon his back, one arm flun. his head, and his thick curls tumble his forehead, St. Gash stood at the window; one hand drew back the curtain, and allowed the moon- light to stream in upon the sleeper. *Sleep,” muttered Deverell, bending over the boy. “‘Sleep on, for you will never wake.” He drew up his sleeves, placed one knee upon the bed, and bending down, gripped rank’s throat. With a quick start the boy awoke, but the hard, bony fingers closed tighter upon his throat, and as he struggled to free himself, the villain planted his knee upon his chest and pinned him down. ‘* Ah!” gasped our hero, and that cry Nicho- las Dopp heard from the hallway without, over over { : i striking him squarely between h ed him over backward. 8 cried Nick, as he raised his head, he having laid the senseless Frank upon the bed. crowded to the and as he shouted back to him, Frank = tered forth: aulut **Nick—help! I-——” But the hard fingers pressed tighter and tighter. He felt his strength leaving him, while in his ears rang the of approaching aid. : Livid with rage, the desperate man toiled on, and then it was the door was burst in- ward, and the crowd surged into the apart- ment. What followed is already known to the er. With that living shield held up before him as hestood in the open window, Philip Dey- erell defied Arlington, laughed him tc scorn, and bade him shoot if he dared. Harvey's arm fell, and he groaned brokenly: “Oh, God! Ihad not thought of that. I dare not fire—I dare not fire! “ Ha, ha, ha!" canie back the villain’s tri- umphant laugh; “are you palsied—are your bullets no deadlier than a fdeat hatred? M soul to him whocan take the boy from me! “T can fill that bill!” shrieked Nick, as he sprang forward and flung his arms around rank’s neck; ‘“‘now, then, go fur ’em, Mr. Harlinton! Spile ’is ty an’ bust ’is figger- ’ed ter pie-stuffins! Ooray!” ‘Curse you, let go!” foamed Deverell, re- leasing one hand and aiming a blow at the comedian’s face. ‘‘ Let go, [ say!” With one wrench, Nic olas Dopp pulled the boy from his grasp and Deverell stood uncoy- ered in the casement. Crack! rang forth the report of a pistol, and with ashriek of pain, Philip Deverell slipped back upon the ladder as Harvey Arlington hurled the smoking weapon from him and bounded to the window. The shot had made a flesh wound in Dev- erell’s left arm, but as his enemy bent over the sill, he plunged forth his righ t fist, and eyes, His head struck the bedstead, and he fell to the floor, senseless and blood-stained, whilefin his ears cane: the cry: “Living I hate you, deadI curse you! You Hi poke, “Quick! to ther are my prey? and the time will come!” S ted wildly down the ladder as he i rding aud secoor ’im!” arted to Arlington and Like a pack of hungry wolves, the others rden, but the ladder was ulled down and the two desperate men had isappeared. They searched the grounds thoroughly, but they had made good use of their time and not & trace of them could be found. Disappointed with their luck, for the rough westerners would surely have lynched the men had they found them, they retraced their steps to the young actor's chamber. » y this time Frank had recovered from the effects of the struggle, and was busily en- gaged in helping Nick, who was striving to restore Arlington to consciousness. The wound in the man’s head was a desper- ate one, The force of the blow had fairly ripped awa the back portion of the scalp, and Expoued the bare, blood-stained bone to view. He lay like a lump of clay in their arms, oe eae -open eyes gazing vacantly up at the ceiling. **Send at once for a physician,” said Frank, as the manreturned. “There's one in the house,” spoke up the landlord. ‘‘Heis on the top floor; No. 20.” A man left the scene and returned short] after with the physician, who was one of the many graduates who picked up a living in those times by wae from town to town, He washed the wound with 4 sponge, sew- éd and strapped it without speaking a word, When this was done, he demanded the ea to be taken to his own room and put to Frank, alarmed at his request. The doctor shook his head, and said: “Yes, very. <As it is, it will be weeks be- fore he can be removed, and Iam afraid of inflammation.” : Poor Frank! he watched them bear the man away and sat down on his bed to think, What Ee had the last twenty-four hours wrought in his career? : “Oh, ifhe dies!"he moaned. “ He said I should know all on the morrow and he alone owl. “Ts the wound so dangerous, sir?” asked :
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ia 12 THE ACTOR'S SON. can reveal the secret of my life. Oh, Philip Deverell, you have much to account for!” He knew he.could do nothing, still he ‘sat up beside the man all night and listened to hhis wild, incoherent ravages. Harvey Arlington’s skin was very dark, his face. smothered in a thick beard, and once, }as Frank’bent over him, he saw that this ! was dyed—more, his skin, too, was stained. “There was evidently some reason for this dis- -Zuise, but wht i The news of the attack spread like wild- fire, and seats the next night at the Portable Theater were ata premium. - ? } Loudly and lorig the applause swelled forth _as Sparkle made his ERTS and for the nonce, he was a veri e hero, | | t cup brought before me, I found that he had.}| ‘Then her;chin. sank npon. her: breast, ailin ; mixed both together, . T pushed it from me and said: : “Give me actip of coffee well sweetened.” Monsieur raised his yoice and shouted : “* Elsie, a vase of the sedative well supplied with the saccharine.” But I digress. The town was heavily billed and unusual excitement prevailed. Large poe and two sheet heads repre- senting Frank, were. displayed throughout the town, and the band paraded the streets all day long, to the imtense delight of the.sim- ple townsfolk. The fair at Lima was to. last a week, and for that time the show. was billed—“ six per- Still his thoughts were all with Harry Arl-| formances onl ington, and once in the midst of the tragedy, he caught himself saying: : “Oh, will he die!” ; : Thrice he missed his cue, until Nicholas Dopp upbraided him and bade him forget his -own troubles in those of Romeo, He profited by the comedian’s advice, and being a true son of Thespis, shook off his woes and imagined himself the person he was enacting. “Lazy actors!” the world calls them, but no portion of the human race has to endureso much for sustenance, and put those in their places who call them thus, pick out the energetic ones,and you will find them these sauie Iazy actors. No class of people are'so misjudged. What a mockery is their life! Beart breaking. brain-bursting, but all smiles to the people before. Oh; the injustice makes me sick! The play was over, the stand broken, an the theater to be moved that night to Lima, where the company would follow on the next morning. On their way home to the hotel, Frank ac- costed Hugh Trugold. “*Mr. Trugold,” he said, ““I am sorry, but I must sever my connection with your compa- ny to-night.” id Pat, my dear boy, you are billed in Lima —it will ruin me. hat is the cause of this sudden resolve? Haye I not always acted rep with you?” **Oh, yes, sir, and indeed, Iam very grate- ful; but that poor fellow who lies at the hotel cannot be neglected. Remember, he was in- jured in defending me.” “Nobly said, Frank; but you must also re- member that he cannot remain there without money.’ eT ede—I had forgotten that. But I will work in the hotel for his board,” **Indeed it will not be sufficient. Go on with the company; I will double your salary; and you can then send money weekly to pay for his attendance until he is able to ton ou.” 7 At first Frank was marble to this appeal, but Nick joined Trugold in it, and he eventu- ally succumbed to numbers and consented to Zo. He made arrangements for Arlington to be well cared for, and left a week’s board in ad- vance. The next morning the company started. Stealing into Arlington’s room, Frank bent over him, and with tears in his eyes, mur- mured: “You pees Ishould know all to-day, but I will never forget your kindness. Good- y. God bless you and restore you to health!” Half an hour after he was thundered along the rails, being rapidly divided from the man who knew the secret of his life, and whom he might never see again. °* CHAPTER XVIII. THE ride between Piqua and Lima is not an extensive “jump,” to use a theatrical term, and the company arrived there without ad- venture. They put up at_a house kept by an old - Frenchman named Largarette. which house, if I mistake not, was called the ‘‘ Westerner,” and was removed about twenty Sao from the corner now occupied by the “ Burnet.” Monsieur Largarette was a man of educa- tion, but the tricky jade, Fortune, had play- ed him scurvy capers, He was a widower, a droll matter-of-fact fellow, but somewhat ec- centric. I remember once, monsieur asked “me whether I desired coffee br tea, and feel- ing in a jocular mood, I replied, “Both.” _ Judge of my disgust upon sipping from the cn SU Be MS oh Ra a ae a at AS alk a lt a cand te Ra a a a lod The first bight was a repetition of ourhero’s triumphs elsewhere, and, to quote Hugh Tru- gold: “The people went mad over them.” The second night came and went; the third performance passed, and retiring to his dress- ing-room, Frank changed his dress to his street costume, Nick Dopp was there awaiting him, for, after that ful experience at Piqua, they were never separated—even rooming togeth. er. Arm in arm they ed on toward the ho- tel, and when about midway something rus- tlea Peat them. “What's that?” cried Frank, coming to a standstill, and wheeling around. Something whizzed past his head and fell with a sharp clank upon the stones, It was.a stiletto! Nick turned pale, grasped his arm, and hurried onward. ** Come!” he said, ‘* them ’ere willunsis h’on ar track. Ye got a charmed life, Frank, ut don’t tempt fate!” They hurried on to the hotel, and passed in, Frank was nervous, for the knife plainly betokened the presence of his enemies, but he said nothing to Nick. The e the company good-night, and passed on up the stairs. As they reached the first landing, they saw by the moonlight streaming through a win- dow at the rear, a tall, mantled figure barring their onward passage. “e ee ha’ mercy!” gasped Nick; “‘h’it’s a sperit Re Ha—ha—ha!” came back in chilling tones from the mantled figure. ‘‘ You area Sparkle, I hate the name—I hate the name!” CHAPTER XIX. Map HaGar did not leave the hut by Elk- ton Pool for some days after her visit to the portable theater. ! ¢ When, however, she did so, she kissed Sancho, the cat, good-bye, and after carefully barring the door, but not from any fear of in- trusion, for the simple townsfolk would as willingly have gone into the open jaws of a urnacé as past her threshold,—she strode on up through the poplar woods, vaulted over the gate and passed leisurely down the main roa She reached the space where the theater had stood, and drew back with a cry of sur- prise. There weré the marks where the beams had been erected, but the theater itself was ‘one. ; - A grayish pallor overspread the woman's face as she stood there in the sunlight and gazed at the debris left by the strolling play- ers. Motionless as a block of marble she remain- ed fora moment, and when she could find voice for utterance, muttered slowly: “He has escaped me! He was a Sparkle, and I would have wrested from his bosom the hiding-place of that other who bears the same name and whom he must know. Oh, ye furies! if he is dead. No—no—no! Hea- ven could not be so cruel; we shall meet in—we must! “This boy, his face—his voice is the echo of one I knew in the clouded past, and that one was Dey—Dev—pshaw! my memory plays me odd tricks; I can remember nothing. All faces—all voices are dead save one, and that is ever before me. It ishere—here!” she went on, beating her clenched fist upon her white forehead, “‘in traces of fire that scorch my very brain! I hate him bitterly. ‘““Bitterly! Ay, that’s the word; bitterly as the memory of bygone happiness and youth to the when the world has tossed them about like dead leaves or rotten fruit.” gathered before her exes, and she stood,there - in the mellow light of the warm sun, Jost in. visions of; the. past. and dead to the,world around her. : For a moment o this. silent. struggle. went on,in her, breast, then. the lon fagers locked convulsively aver her heart, her:thin, bloodlesslips drew tightly together, and her- black eyes twinkle@like. ‘tevil orbs.” ¢ “They haye gone.” ‘she murmured, and this strange boy with, them; yet I. will follow them to, the end of the world, but, I will ;find the man Iseek} Now, to, work, Hagar, like a viper, Viper! Ay, that’s, the word; low, cunning, creeping viper be it then, But, the first move; I must find where these players. havegone. Yet how?” es She paused for-4. moment and.thought._ Suddenly her face lit, up, and she: started: onward, muttering asshe went: . “The hotel ;: that’s the, place... There.they- rmoust know.” This thought was a good one, for the hotel-- keeper usually does know—to his cost. But no ill luck had caused the company to “fly by night,” like the witches in Mc : th: and arriving at, the hotel, the prophetess. passed. astily in, : ““Who keeps this place?” she asked, abrupt-. ly, of a lout lying back on a rickety chair andi seemingly haying no other duty than to ex- pectorate copious streams of, tobacco: juice: over the floor. te ‘ The fellow looked up and drawled : “Tt keeps itself, but if you mean who runs. the mercheen, why it’s Stayman, the black~ poaraee man you see yonder.” ithout a word, agar turned. m her heel and strode over to the person. indicated. “Are you Mr. Stayman?” “Well, I calkerlate I be.” ~ “Did the theatrical company just gone, stop here?” . 1 “Guess they did, aunty.” : “To yon know where they are now f” - *“ReckonIdew. If they got tharsafe, they be ae abituptheroad.” . “ O had As abruptly as she had. entered, the weird woman turned away and left—turned away to seek the man she most wished to meet, and never knew how near they were ther. Muttering and jabbering to. herself, the strange fortune-teller bent her footsteps in the direction of Elkton pool and soon found herself home. Going over to the wide chimney place, she sat down and called Sancho to her. The feline ran up, leaped into her lap, and arching its back, ia purring loudly. Hagar patted his black head. “Sancho,” she said, softly, “‘ we are on his track, we shall find him yet, and soon too. You've never seen him, boy, but I know him and one day you shall feast on him as upon the one above stairs there. I’m going to Lima to find this bore who bears his name and if I have ta cut his heart out, I will find what he knows of him. Bea good boy while Iam gone, and watch thehouse. Now bring ny shawl.” he cat leaped down with a lusty cry, and seizing a black shawl in his sharp teeth, dragged it to his mistress, , She laid some food and water beside the fire, and after straining Sancho to her bosom, put him from her. Falling upon her ‘knees on the hearth, she counted the bricks from the wall, and hav- ing arrived at the one she wished, inserted her fingers beneath it and lifted it up. A deep space thus revealed was seen to be full of coin, the proceeds of her fortune-tell- ing expeditions. he took out a handful, counted it, and poured it into her capacious pocket. This done, she kissed Sancho cnce more, and then left the hut. With the black shawl drawn over her head and shoulders, she glided on through the town, reached the railroad station, and was soon thundering away on the track of the actor's son, for such we will still call him, since by this title he is best known to us, At dusk she reached Lima, and was over- joyed to see the company billed throughout the town. That night she went to the theater, and fol- lowed the company home to the hotel to as- certain where they were stopping. ; She arrived there before and atonce en. 4 room. ‘orn out by excitement, she plunged her-
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"1 © thes _ \where you stand !” » . the brays boy and bore him backward to the | a aon ~fout .ta. * prhigh ne ‘ t 3 ~ ~ riedly around. j The mantied figure thad disappeared! we _ cited ittle Frenchman. THe ACTOR'S SON: i3 ~ -selfr her couch:; ‘her. eyes»closed, and | therefore, monsieur will see that it is quite See Ghemakethestnlickterss stream- impossible for me to recognize the face even jing intosthe roam. : were we to meet again,” % Yt was broad day. : aie ES anette wrung his hands in despair, : with:.a “Gf alarm, ‘ Je ne sais pas ce queje Tai Ou ce ¥ Pap ciabeer ig hy se quejecais devenir!” ie moaned. “‘ Iam von } 4 ‘oceryman., came baék . the ly} -“‘A-mantle!” repeated Pierre, like his fa- “ Know 7you an ther, “* zatiis so easily provers You were not of your name?” in zeoffice ven I let No. 6to a femmein a ‘Niek grasped the -yonng tragedian’s arm to’ black mantie. Zere ees ze reom—zere.” pull.kim away, batPrank shookuhim om and He poii:ted as he ae to the door of answered : ; ‘| Hagar's apartment, an pol the direc- “* Yes; aman ofyeare. From cotieh I teok’| tion 4 his sfinger with his eye, Frank said, name, hut he wasinot my father.” | quickly: _ an fe , Pulling «down the’ beer That is the place where the stranger sable mantle so that:it concealed her face and'jstood. Had it not been for Mr. Dopp’s pres- steppigg ;quickly ferward, “know you who}ence i should undoubtedly have en ist — -strangled, for the person was ‘endowed with ‘If, pou are. an emissary of his brother, the |more than ordinary TEER man who seeks to deprive me af my rights,| Without.amoment’s delay, the whole party go—tellihim Sidefy him,.and dare te. call my- |sushed to the door, and hammered loudly on self.a Deverell!” the eee s : Witha cry ofsurprisedize mad womandrew| ‘“ What swant you?’ cried Hagar from with- : in. “Deverell | that's the name I-strove to| ‘Frank Sparkie started. recall. _Harold.Devenell swas his friend; his} ‘That's the voice!” he cried, and the next -chilé;must know where he is. Speak, boy, | instant the men burst in the door. _ - _speak! :¥herejis he ?” A candle was burning on a shelf, and still “He. who?” wrapped in her black shawl and clutching “The man I seek—Samuel S et” the jeweled hilt of the stage dagger, Hagar “You seek him?” cried Frank, recoiling .as | stood in the center of the apartment. ike ;-** find him am the dead!” Monsieur Largarette made a dash forward, “Tt iis a-lie I" thissed Hagar, leaping for-| but the keen blade flashed ominously in the ~ward, “thei fives; the furies have told‘me so. | dim light. “Tell me.where -he ;is, or I will strangle you| “Back, all of you!” shrieked the mad wom- an, her black eyes gleaming like living coals. er fingers clutehed around the throat of | “The first who Jays. hand on me, dies like F I want him—I must have Samuel le, and the furies have told me that we Spar shall meet! A boy, an actor, a Deverell told me he was dead, but itis false, he has hidden him, and I'll yet wring "the secret from his black heart. Oh, for blood to drown him! er:‘knew éo be a woman, fired at _, ‘The world is wide—the world is dark, but ther. .,_ |i shall be black for him who dares approach Bui excitement caused the bnilet to fly wide|me, or stand ’twixt me and my revenge! af itssmark, and the moment Hagar heard the | Living I will find him; dead, ll drag him report, she fung the yaung actor from her, | from the yery jaws of the tomb, and be his he. noise echoed andre-echoed through the | form reeking with decay, Sancho shall feed hallway, and minute after, it was filled with | upon his accursed body!’ ; peenie. > Again Monsieur Lagarette sprang forward. ~Whet's up? The brilliant blade flashed quickly down- “ What's the matter?” ward, and cut through the flesh of his right “Who fired?” arm, making a pphastl yolnok tines stab, from “¥s-any one hart ?’ 7 which the blood flowed copiously, Frank,leaped to his feet, while the excited} “You have dared to defy me,” shrieked the people were crowding around Nick, who still rophetess, ‘‘and the blow is_ stricken! gras the smoking pistol, and glanced hur- Biends! are you all heartless! Why do you hide this Samuel Sparkle from me? Step by I floor. The instant Nicholas Dopp realized his friend's peril, Shivering as he was with fear, he whippetl out one: is pistols, and with- Ein aim fired at the veiled figure, step through the whole wide world I wi follow se and who dares to stay me? : seek—I seek——” CHAPTER XX. Her eyes fell upon Frank, she leaped for- ‘THE door of Mad Hagar’s room opened up- | ward, wound her left hand in his hair, and on fhe landing where she had encountered | with that more than human power of a ma- the young actor, and the moment she flung} naic dragged him to her feet, and hissed : Frank from her, under eover of the darkness,| “‘ You! she pushed open this dcorand glided like a| The glittering knife, its luster bedimmed spirit into the apartment. with Gaspard Largarette’s blood, leaped high Again the questioning was commenced, | in the air and was poised for a deadly blow and Frank fonnd himself compelled to re-| over the young actor. eount the story of the strange meeting. “* Tell me!” she shrieked, ‘ tell me where he “* Whether it was a man or a woman, I | is, or by the black heavens above us you die eannot say,” he went on; “but be it who|ashe shall! Tell me—tell me, I say, for—” it may, the m stood there by the} Bang! window aud was shrouded most effectually | The sharp report of a pistol—Nick Dopp had in a dark mantle that fell all around the} fired with good effect. form.” The bullet, aimed with great precision, “Mantle!” cried M. Largarette, elbowing | crashed against the knife blade, shivering it his way to our hero's side; “ monsieur, did I/in a.thousand fragments and leaving the understand you to zay zat ze Meat vas | jeweled hilt in the mad woman's ew coovaire in ze foldts oot a dark mantle?” The very next instant’the men leaped upon “* You certainly did, M. Lagarette,” replied | her and wrested the boy free. Frank, wheeling around and facing the ex-| Itis past a doubt that the weakest sane : persons, when driven mad, possess a greater —~_-—— “ Mon Dieu! and would monsieur know Ze | strength than that of ordinary persons, and face, if monsieur see it once moor?” The young actor shook his head. -_“T have alread discern if it had this was the case with Hagar. Right and left she hurled her adversaries said it was too dark to| from her like sticks in her path. na manor a woman;!' * Unhand me—unhand me!” she screamed, SS bet ~ flinging them off. “* Let me go—let me go, L say! Come, furies, and help me!” A burly fellow seized her left shoulder, but wrenching her right hand free, she dealt him what Nick wou yt afterward termed “a bugle. buster,” spreading his nose out over his cheeks and dashing him bleeding to the floor. Another blow, another wrench—she is free! “Ha, ha, ha! follow me who dares!” With a single bound she reached the door, banged it in their faces, and leaped into the hall. Not a minute to lose. The desperate men fairly wrenched the door from its hingés and dashed after her. Her wild, awful gurgles of chilling laughter ran through the empty corridor as she darted onward to the open window where Frank had first seen her. ** Stop—stop!” screamed her pursuers, but she heeded them not. She reached the window, leaped upon the sill, and turned for an instant to face them, “The blood-hound is after him—who dares follow her?” Her hands flew up suddenly above her head, the black mantle, now torn to tatters, fluttered in the gale, and with a last laugh she leaped forward into space, The merriment ee but an instant on the air; then came a dull, heavy thud, echoed by a shriek of pain, and all was still. *¢ She’s killed!” “Broke her neck!” ** Now we have her!” ‘Come on!” % : These and various other cries mingled to- gether as that scream of azony died out, and with one accord, the whole party made for the doorway below, which led to the road into which Hagar had leaped. Lying in the moonlit road, her tattered robe covered with dust, her white hair dab- bled in the blood that flowed from her mouth and nostrils, her white face turned ne te the skies, and her black eyes dimly seen through, the half-closed lids, they found her, “Gone!” a renee voice murmured at. Frank’s elbow, as he pushed his way to the. side of the prophetess. : “ Blowed h'if she ain't croaked!” muttered Nicholas Dopp, as with Frank, he bent over~ the ESP, bod y. “Hush!” returned our hero, holding up his - finger, “ hush! we are in a mightier presence than ours; speak no harsh words—she ies - dead, and her Siar’ secret dies with her!” Then he wound his arms around the body and lifted her from the dust. “Largarette,” he said, ‘harness up your- horse, she must be taken to a doctor.” Monsieur Largarette’s son, the one address— ed, held up his handsin surprise. ee monsieur! she try to take your life, and—— “ ‘ ** And Heaven has taken hers,” responded Frank, solemnly. ‘“‘ What she has done is past. Is there a doctor near?” : “Qui, monsieur, at the lunatic asylum, some two mile oop ze roadt.” ** Quick then, harness up.” A few moments after, the horse and wagon were brought around ‘to’ the front°of the house; with Nick and Pierre, Frank lifted the bleeding form in, and drove to the asylum. “The woman was crazy,” he explained to the doctor, who was not over pleased at being * pulled out of bed at this hour. § Take her into the operation room yon- er. Tenderly the Ey actor bore the limp body pe the threshold and laid her on a long ta- e. The room was quite dark but the doctor struck a match, lit a lamp, and then threw a white sheet over the woman’s body. Then he turned and faced our heroes. ““ What ails hernow?” he asked abruptly, “ad a fitand injured herself?” Ph ae fone . “No,” he said, slowly, “ina fit of a ~ tion she leaped from ‘the’ window pa re » found her in the road; I think she is dead.” “Dead!” repeated the doctor, “I am 1,06 in the habit of having co brought here, J thought she was only in a comatose coadi-., ion. 4 _ He turned to the mantel as he spoke, an lifting the lamp bore it over to the table. . With one hand he held up the light and with the other drew back the sheet, BE) Sa Sa a he said,» ~ rank Sparkle loo up quickly; ‘he had cherished a hope that she might be living, ¢
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14 but that expressive ejaculation fel! like lead upon his heart. ** She is deadf?” he asked. The doctor set down the lamp, flung the sheet over the body, and said: ** Neck broken!” CHAPTER XXI. HARVEY ARLINGTON’S wound was by no means as desperate as the traveling doctor had said, and the day after our hero left Piqua, he opened his eyes in consciousness. “Where am I?” he asked, glaring around at the girl who sat a his bedside. “Hush! you are ill; you must not talk.” “Till? what's the matter? What makes my head hurt so?” “Do you not remember the fight with the man who entered Mr. Sparkle’s room a few nights back?” “Oh, yes—yes—where is he now?” “Who? the man, sir? I don’t know.” “*No—no, Mr. Sparkle. Send him to me at once.” '| * He is gone, sir.” **Gone—gone where?” “On to Lima with the company.” She then procéeded to tell him all that had happened, and over and over again bade him lie down and not talk. But lying down was out of question just then with Harvey Ar- “a fo so’he sat there mumbling to him- self: “*Gone—gone, and I not near to protect him from Deverell. I must get well—I must!” A strong determination to battle death often wards it off, and thus if was with Ar- lington, for on the evenin poeains the night upon which occurred the events nar- rated in the fore: ing chapter, the girl came to his room and found it empty. He had arisen from his couch, dressed and stolen rye Let us follow him on his journey. Straight on to the depot he went, and en- tering the cars was rattled off to Lima. About the time the train rumbled into the station Hagar was battling with the men in the room. Accosting a fellow who lounged on the platform, he said; _ “Can you tell me at what place the travel- ing actors are stepping ¥ Yes ; a matter of three miles up the road there at Largarette’s * Westerner.” “ Thanks, fee turned into the road and plodded on ‘up 1 Half an hour elapsed; a carriage came rat- tling up the road: and looking up quickly Arlington pare vent toa Se eee cry. “I can’t be mistaken,” he muttered. “T'll follow them.” On—on he went in their track, till the car- riage stopped and the three figures emerged, bearing a dark bundle, and passed into the house in front of them. Gliding forward Arlington followed. * * * * * a “It is too true, then, she is dead, doctor?” “Yes, t a doubt. Frank turned to go, but witha sudden resolution he turned bac prea sheet and lifted up the blood-stain- At that instanta shrill cry awoke a dozen echoes in the hall, the door was thrust open; and a figure tottered in. ae lifted his eyes, saw the man and cried : “Mr. Arlington!” The man noted it not, butrushed past him, knelt beside the dead woman and moaned : “Thank God I can face the world once more! I am not an assassin! Now, Philip Deverell, look to yourself, for I'll hunt you down! O, Ged, my Hiagars. ““What do you mean?’ cried Frank. “That woman is my wife, who loved you ptate, but whom I thought I had mur- e “* Merciful powers!” gasped our hero, ‘f and you are——” “The man who reared and loved you al- ways as a father—Sam Sparkle!” CHAPTER XXII. FRANK SPARKLE threw up his arms and ceered back as though shor. ‘“You—you Samuel Sparkle?’ he cried. k to the table, re-| ¥ THE ACTOR'S SON. “Often have I tried to place your features, | devilish lucky feliow, and in my mad infatu- but—bu Harvey Arlington turned his face towards isn im. “But what?” he asked, lowly, laying one hand on the brow of the dead woman. “* You think me younger, Frank, my boy, is not that it?” “Yes,” replied the young actor. “If you are Samuel Sparkle, you should be at the feast fifty years of age. Your hair—your a. ‘Should be white! Exactly. But have you forgotten that there is sucha thing as dye? When the stain is from my face and hair, when my beard is gone, perhaps the likeness will not be so hard to trace. You have been as good to me as though you had indeed been my child; come, Frank, to these arms that so long have yearned to embrace you, and say you have not forgotten the poor old man who has loved you better than life itself!’ * Father—father!” cried Frank, throwing himself upon the old comedian’s breast, “for such you will ever be to me, how much worse than ungrateful I would be, could I ever for- get your kindness. “Tt never knew a parent’s watchful care other than yours, and come what miay, you ae never know other than a son’s love from me , Tears trickled freely down the old man’s cheeks, “*God bless you—God bless you!” he cried. **You are indeed a true son.” As for Nicholas Dopp, he flung his hat in the air, capered around like a m: an, and shouted at the top of his lungs: “ H’oh, s'elp ) me cheyild, h’and eving bless yer. "Ooray!” Frank raised his hand. **Hush, Nick,” he said, {solemnly. ‘We monet not forget we are in the presence of eath.” At the mention of Mad Hagar, Samuel Sparkle wept afresh, and turning to him, our hero inquired: “How was it I never knew your wife was living? How was it you escaped from the flames at the Bowery Theater?’ The old comedian then proceeded to relate the story of the Italian’s terrible mistake, all of riers is already known to the reader; therefore, we will s it by and pick up the thread where it will be a revelation to us. “When I fell back in the flames,” went on Sparkle, ‘it was more from the force ard suddenness of the blow than real pain, for I did not aaeeine myself so badly injured as 1 was. Still [lost consciousness, and the fire soon after revived me, and I sought escape from a side door. - “While endeavoring to extricate myself from a heap of ruins a falling brick struck me upon the head, and I fell in a senseless heap to the floor. “Tt appears a fireman saw me fall and saved me, forIl remember no more until my eyes opened with reason within the walls of a hospital, whither I had been brought. ~ “As soon as I was able I left the place and went to Mrs. Brophy’s. You were gone. She showed me your letter and told me of two men who had been there inquiring for ou. “From the description I knew them to be Philip Deverell and the Italian, Giovanni St. Gash. 1 knew there was danger, and pre- pared to follow you under the assumed name of Harvey Arlington. “You know already how I came up with you—how my timely arrival saved you from the deadly blow of the Italian, and the no less deadly hatred of your uncle.” “My uncle! eh promised to tell me of him and of myself,” added Frank. ‘Pray go on, and like Hamlet, ‘let me not burst in ignorance,’” Harvey Arlington smiled feebly. “Like Hamlet,” he repeated. ‘Ay, the simile is good, for like him, you are the yic- tim of an uncle’s malice towards his brother. But I must begin at the commencement: © ** When quite young—not more than twen- ty-five—and my way to fame lying open before me, I fell in with a Spanish actress, one Hagar D'Lavernti. I will not say that I was madly in love with the woman; her genius, her mas- ay rendition of different characters fired my blood, and when I saw that I was not dis- tasteful to her, I grew bolder, and in an evil hour offered myself and was accepted. “In thé profession I was looked upon as a me proper! Cum terme h’arms, | ¥ ation, I fancied I was. “*But Signora D'Lavernti was not the spot- less angel I imagined her to be, although I did not find this out until it was too late. “She was surrounded by the greatest and richest men of the were two young fellows, brothers, named Deverell, the eldest, Harold, not more than eighteen, but their money gave them place with older men. , “The Adal 328 brother, ees was deep and crafty—I never liked him, but with the free-hearted, good-natured, impulsive Harold Isoon became a fast friend and an inseparable companion. “Thus matters went on for three years, at the end of which time old Deverell died, leay- ing all his money to his eldest and favorite son. “Philip Deverell was madly jealous of Har- old, and my instinct told me if a favorable chance presented itself, he would not scruple to put him out of the way to obtain the wealth he coveted, although Harold shared equally with him in all things. *“A few months after—some seven or eight —I married the woman to whom I was en- gaged, but both having profitable engage- ments, we remained in New York, where my darling little Ethel was born. 3 “«The Deverells were still our yisitors, and one night, when my daughter was but three years of age, Harold came to me brimful of day, and among these - the blissful tidings that he also was a father. - ““T knew not of his marriage, buta few words sufficed to tell me that my only sister was and had been his wife for more than a ear. “*T was overjoyed, but the gladness was not for long, for three days after the birth of her son, my sister Kate died. ‘Harold was almost crazed with grief, but roe child was still left him by a merciful proy- idence. : ‘* About this time I learned that all was not with me as I_had thought, and quarrels be- tween myself and wife were of frequent oc- currence. > ““T determined to leave the city—to travel —and take my wife from the society with which she was surrounded. ‘ “The Deverells foliowed us, (the child bein left behind), but I speedily saw that I h brought with me the very viper from whom I would escape—Philip. “In the roadway one night, Iquarreled with Hagar before the brothers and mad with jealousy, struck her, as I then thought, dead at my feet. ; f “At the same instant Philip Deverell plunged a knife into the heart of his brother, and as I turned upon him, he pointed to the body of my wife and said: “* We are quits! Dare to betray me and you go to the scaffold!’ “** Monster!’ I cried. ‘I will deliver myself up to see you punished for the murder of a rae whose eyery impulse was good and true!’ * Ah, how well he had_ plotted! “ He laughed at me, pointed to the bloody _ knife, which was one of my stage properties and bore my name on the hilt. “**One word!’ he hissed, ‘and I summon aid to arrest you for this double murder!’. “God pity me! I was in his power and could donothing. He disposed of the bodies, and it was agreed that I was totake Harold's child and make away with it, thus leaving the path to the Deverell gold free and un- trammeled for him. “The son of Harold was sent to me, but I fled with it, though a few days after my little Ethel disappeared and left me a childless father and a wifeless husband. } ‘* My heart yearned to the little orphan ; I did not slay him; I sent him away to school as my own son, and after many years Came back to New York. “Season after season dragged by; I saw nothing of Philip Deverell until, by some strange chance, he learned that the boy was living, divined the trick lhad played wi him, and sought me out on the very night of that child’s ut. ** Wealth now awaits Frank Deverell, and now that I know the blow did not» wife, only injured her reason, give me your han o boy, we will regain it together. *“You kn ow me now as Samuel Sparkle, I know you as Frank Deverell, the heir to - child—The ions, but once and always my Actor’s Son!” ~ “ my _
Page 15
THE ACTOR'S SON. 15 es CHAPTER XXIII. As Samuel Sparkle ceased speaking, he bent down, kissed the cold forehead of the dead woman, and with a low sob, reverently replaced the sheet to sbut out the hideous sight of those wide-open eyes staring blankly at space, sightless here, but in another worid endowed with immortal vision. ‘“You have suffered much,” said Frank, ** but God willing, all our trials are over. Let me but a my inheritance, and you and “faithful old Nick; here, shall pass the rest of your days with me in my home.” : Sam Bparkie strained the boy once more to his heart and arose from his position beside his dead wife. **Come,” he said, ‘‘ we must get to the ho: tel now. On the morrow Hagar’ must’ be buried.” : They obtained permission to leave her at the insane asylum and passed out to the ear- riage. : As they rumbled down'"the road, two fig- ures sprang into the thicket, but not before the eagle eye of the old comedian had recog- nized them both. “Drive like mad!” he shrieked to Frank, and as the vehicle ppun down the dusty track; he Abe up and shouted: “You have played your cards badly, Philip Deverell. Lam nota murderer, the rightful heir is in my hands at last, and here goes for New York and happiness!” To ‘this inflammatory oration, Nicholas Popp added an addenda in the shape of a usty: p ***Ooray for Sparkle h’and Dopp!. Tigur!” \ Crack!. The sharp report of a pistol, and uttering a shrill cry of pain, Samuel Sparkle: fell back in the seat, the blood oosing from a ghastly wound in his breast. “Dad, are you wounded?” gasped Frank dropping the reins and springing to the old comedian’s side. ** Dad, are you hurt?” r poe old man nodded his head, and replied, | eebly: ** Ay, lad, to the death. Drive—drive like mad to the magistrate. I've got my last dose, but I mustn't shuffle off till my story is on paper. Drive—drive! Oh, my God, how it burns!” Nicholas Dopp seized the reins and urged the horse down the road towards the hotel, while our hero held the wounded man in his — ashe “ and strove to stay the terrible flow of ood. But the task was useless. “Is it bad, dad?” sobbed Frank, as he saw how rapidly the old: man was sinking: “Is it bad? “You know what Mercutio says, my boy, “tis not so deep asa well, nor so wide as a church door; but ’tis enough, twill’ serve! Drive on! Oh, for the love of Heaven; drive —drive!” On—on flew the horse; they reached the door of the ‘*‘ Westerner,” and here Nicholas Dopp. sprang out. ‘““ Where h’is the ’ouse h’of the magistrate?’ he cried to Gaspard Largarette, who, with others, stood at the door awaiting their re- turn. “« Zere at ze toop oof ze heel ; ze ferst house.” Up again leaped Nick, and away tore the vehicle at lightning speed, never stopping until the door of the house indicated was reached. In due time they were ushered into the mag- istrate’s presence, he having been aroused from his bed, and the facts of the case were stated. The dying man was propped up in a chair, the words fell slowly from his lips, and were accompanied by the sobs of Frank and the scratch of the pen, as the magistrate recorded them. The last word was written—Frank’s right to the inheritance was proven—then the pa- per was pushed forward, a pen pressed into the stiffening fingers of the dying man, and, held up by Frank, he wrote his name: **Samuel Sparkle.” The final ‘“‘e” was written; the fingers slipped, the pen dropped to the floor, and with a great sigh of relief the faithful old comed- ian sank back into the chair—dead! * * * * * * * On the following day officers were put upon the track of Deverell and St. Gash, and after a lusty ride came up with them in a bit of woodland some three miles beyond the road. ! A pone fight, in which Giovanni St. Gash was killed, ensued, and after much trouble Philip Deverell was escorted to prison under a shou guard, and thence sent to New York for trial. Frank and ea remained long enough to bid farewell to Hugh Trugold, then with the bodice of Hagar and Samuel Sparkle, follow- ei im, The bones in the hut of Hagar were discoy-— ered fully a year afterwards, but Philip Dey- erell never betrayed himself by telling that he had stolen the comedian’s child and given it to its mother, who, in her wild fury, slew it; and so to the world that ever remained a Hee hats sealed when both were bur- ie * *y oa * * * * Philip Deverell’s trial was a short one, and with the double murder and the burning of the Bowery Theater at his back, he did not look for mercy, but his face paled, his form ~ shook, as he arose to view the jury returning, There was an instant’s ghostly silence. A word from the judge, and then the reply of the foreman: * Guilty!” ADDENDA. : READER, the task is done, the end is reach- ed, A few more words and we lay down the pen, happy if we have wielded it to satisfac- tion and pleasure, Frank Deverell regained the wealth of his father with but little trouble, and to-day he holds it, but not alone, Enough was settled upon Nick to keep him comfortable, but he could neverstifle his love for the roving life of a player, and continues still to fill that role. ; The sharers of Frank Deverell’s wealth are alovely wife and a blue-eyed baby boy, whom he has named after the man who lost his life for him—Samuel Sparkle Deverell. ; We look in upon him once for the last tim before we say good-by. He sits alone in his study, A door opens softly ; a servant has entered with a paper in his hand. “« Well?” asks Frank, M4 “The paper you sent me’for, sir.” Very pale he turns as he rises from the chair, and takes the sheet from the man, He looks at it once, falls back into the chair and casts the paper away; but, lying as it does upon the floor, we can read the bold, black letters that have startled him: “EXTRA ! “FuLtt ACCOUNT OR THE EXECUTION OF Puitre DEVERELL,” [THE END.] Useful and instructive Books. ow TO EXPLAIN DRWAMS.—Everybody dreams, from the little child to the aged man and woman. This little book gives the explanation to all kinds of dreams, together with lucky and unlucky days, and “Napoleon’s Oraculum,” the book of fate. For sale by every news- Price 19 cents, or we will send it to your address, postage free, on receipt of price Tousey, publisher. 34 and 36 North Moore street. New York. sox 2780, HOW TO MAKE AND SET TRAPS,—Including hints on how to trap Moles, Weasels, Otter, Rats, Squirrels and Birds, Also how to cure Skins. Copiously illustrated. By J. Harrington Keene. cents. For sale by all newsdealers in the United States and Canada, or sent te your address, post-paid, on receipt of price. Address 36. North Moore street, New York. dealer in the United States and Canada. Frank Tousey, publisher, 34 and P. O, Box 2730. HOW TO BECOME A VENTRILOQUIST.—By Harry Kennedy. The se« eret givenaway. Every intelligent boy reading this book of instrue- professor (delighting multitudes every night 2 can master the art, and create any amount of fun for himselfand friends. It is the GREATEST BOOK ever ublished, and there’s Mmntons (of fun) In rr. HOWTO BECOME A FEN TRILOQUIST. For sale by all newsdealers, price 10 cents; ox Boys or New York, and receive a copy by return mail. Address Frank aeeye publiher, 34 and 34 tions, by a practical with his wonderful imitations), send price to the office of North Moore street. New York. 2.0. Box HOW TO DO TRICKS.—The great book of magic and card tricks, con- taining full instruction of all the leading card tricks of the day, also the most popular magical illusions as’ performed hy our leading magicians; every boy should obtain a copy, and: instruct. Price 10 cents. For sale b y all newsdealers in the ete., ete. Frank sent to your Box 2730. GOW TO BECOME A Price 10 Tousey, pu Box aido ings. the price. sixty illustrations. as it will both amuse For sale by all newsdealers in the address, Frank Tousey, publisher, of magical illusions ever cards, incantations, etc. Sean abso and HOW TO BECOME AN INVENTOR.—Every boy should know how ine ventions originate. This book explains them all, giving examples in Segal hydraulics, magnetism, he most instructive book optics, pneumatics, mech: ublished. Price 10 cents, United States and a, or free, on receipt of price, Address 34 and 36 North Moore street New York, , TAGICIAN.—OContaining the grondest assortment laced before the public. Also, tricks with ies 10 cents, Yor sale by all newsdealers, free, upon receipt of price. Frank orth Moore street, New York. P. QO HOW TO SOLVE CONUNDRUMS.—Oontaining all the leading conun- drums.of the day, amusing riddles, curious catches and witty say- Price 10 cents. 3 States and Canada, or sent to your address, post paid, on receipt of Address Frank Tousey, publisher, ‘Moore Street, New York. Box 2730. aOw TO BECOME AN ATHYETE.—Giving full instruction for the use oi dumb-bells, Indian clubs, parallel bars. horizontal bars, and various other methods of developing a good, healthy muscle; containing over For sale by all newsdealers:in the United 4 and 36 North Every boy ean become strong and healthy by following the instructions contained in this little book. For sale by all newsdealers, or sent to your address, postage free, on receipt ‘of 10 cents. Frank Tousey, publisher, 34 and 36 North Moore street, New York. Box 2730- : ; HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO GENTLEMEN.—Containing ‘full di- United States und Canada, or sent to any address, postage free, on receipt of prica. Address Frank Tousey, publisher, 34 and 36 North Moore Street, New York. Box 2730. HuwW TO FLIRT.—Just out. ‘The arts and wiles of flirtation are fully explained by this little book. Besides the yarious methods of hand- kerchief, fan, glove, parasol, window, and hat flirtations, it contains a full list of the language and sentiment of flowers, which is inter- esting to everybody, both old and young. You cannot be happy with- out one. » Price 10 cents. Address Frank Tousey, publisher, 34 and $6 North Moore street. New York. Box 2730. rections for writing to gentlemen on all subjects; also giving sam- ple letters for introduction. Price 10 cents. For sale by-all news- dealers in the United States and Canada, or sent to your address, tage free, on receipt of price. Address Frank Tousey, publisher, Band 36 North Moore Street, New York. Box 2730. OW TO DO IT.—Itisa life seeret, and one that ey. man ; fe Peaks ener desires to know all about. Frank Tousey publishes a you all about it. Send 10 cents and get it. There’s happiness in it. ’ “Address Frank Tousey, publisher, 34 and 36 North Moore street, Nev’ York. P.O. Box 2730.
Page 16
979 Little Tommy Bounce; or, Some Like COMO 5.63 es soe eaten von by Peter Pad 980 oo ae proves or, The Huccancersof Gulf.... J. G. Bradley Aion ona Wrec! as > Mystery ofa 982 Dan Davis es as Dicky ine an "3 c Vatation't Reeds tines .-by H, K. 7 Shackleford 983 Muldoon’s Picnic—comic........by Tom Teaser Driver; or, The 964 Luke Li the Boy Stage F: 5 i eno Camp.by Paul 3] Braddon yar-in- id of ae Ji the Darin: Rider; or, “A Shine His Fo Fortune it the Saddle... 886 The Lost Bo by Robert Maynard are or, The Secret of the by r Starbuck Mon y H. K. Shackleford $88 Rob Rivers: the Raft Rove or, L Driving on the Missouri River....... T. Samet $89 Muldoon the Cop, Part I. soy! Ses vanae by Tom ‘Teaser 990 Muldoon the Cop, Part II.—comic......... Tom ‘Teaser 993 Frank Reade, Jr., and His . the Clouds—Part I.........c00: ae oname ” ip the Clouds—Part II...... .....by “ Boy Lawyer; or, Fighting “Fora een fillion seotese-essby R. T. Emmet 996 sft med ronan “Bunce on His Travels— MIG? ISe ce cp eccs cece eeo--seee-D¥ Peter Pad 897 The Little Black Rover: on,’ The hse Privateer of sows York Ba 998 Pawnee ole! 's Oath; Scout’s Lost aoe Gachs Mystery of thé Hidden Lak Bee by 1001 Through Thick and Thin;/ or “Bariren ‘Starbuck 1002 Jack and Jim: or, Racke m2 1001 Tho Mysterlows Light Shi; Soy sbao Bendel Ok 6 Mysterious t or, The Smu ers of the Death Coast’. by Roger Starbuck 1005 Muldoon’ *s Grocery Store—comic, Part I. by Tom Teaser 1006 Muldoon’s Grocery Store—comic. Part II. q by Tom Teaser 1007 Frank Reade, Jr., and His Monttor of the Air; or, Helping a Friend in Need by . Gerald areas 4 Grit; or, The. Bran 1008 Ge ous ne Ric Hee 1010 Six Weeks in the Saddle; or, The Adven- ventures of a Boys’ Riding Sch bo yee y R.T. Emmet 1011 The Traveling Dude; or, The Contin Ad- oan eee of Clarence Fitz Roy Jones— oes ee be, Tom ieee 1012 Bask Brow, the irate; oF, 6 Cruiser o: the Dark River Pi y Roger Starbuek 1013 The Yankee Yacht ‘Club; vd around the orld by Shae Soaks <s2aseby Geo. G. Small 1014 Frank mp reatoe Py af en a Siete of Mystery, A Strange Story of Alrica, .- x oname 1015 sraldoon. 8 pent payoos es Woe d—comic. Tom Ai art. swoetecese 1017 Flat Boat Fred; or, The Youn voune ‘cali Shackleford 1018 Among the Sun Worshiipezess or, Two New «b er York Boys in Peru...... nm Bertrew 1019 Jack ‘Magic, the Boy Wo: or, The Smartest on the Stage...... wisest O Little 1020 Frank Reade Jr., and His Electric Air ares Beh or, ie Great he ,Among . thei AStecsit saps se gctdccsstce aes bas 1021 Two ane aie pea or, ‘ite’ ms of the Lost Island....-....... y Roger Starbuck 1022 The Wonder of Wall’ ease or, A Boy Among the Bulls and Bears.. ss H. K. Shackleford 1023 The Unknown ..by Paul Braddon cs) Je Tom Teaser «wes eewesee weeeeee Satielond. - 1027 The See Captains ose Doom 1028 Hi Pid by Sitting Fully Oe flee Sion 5 1 n or, ec Ao tion: in Eo oa yal Braddon For sale by all newsdealers in the United States and Canada, or sent to your address, post-paid, om receipt of price. Address + Box 2730, LATEST ISSUES OF The Great 5 Cent Wide Awake Library. 1029 Bob ope ieat: or, A Boy of Business and Fun mic, Part I.......... y Tom Teaser 1030 Bob? job Bight or, A Boy of Business and Fun t I Tom Teaser 1032 Tan Enea or, Fighting A yn 1083 The at Ship; or, Aorte on a Sea of Docdadsaccncarernere ..by. Roger Starbuck 1034 Dick D pest: or, “The Fiend ‘of ae 1635 The Boy Siave of New York: or, oy Sold toa Hunted Mani sy 22. ce ccceccwens by C Co Little 1036 Around the World in a Sail Boat. sagace adie by Harry Kennedy 1037 Fred Fresh; or, As Green as Grass—comic by Tom Teaser 1038 Old Buckskin, the Man With the Trained Doge; oa) ‘The pools cous Saul M 1048 Le peralat Phil; or, From a as ‘o a Merchant............-.........by C. Little 3 Or, The Wonder of urricane Coast...........by Roger Starbuck 1042 Trathtal Jack; or, On Board the Nancy Jane, A Story Full of Lies—comic..... by Tom Teaser 1043 The Gold Ar or, The Demon of the Cascade. Jp teeta Rtors Syke bers Wild 104 Tho ba Fon King; on;'The Neoret of the e ion £3 ‘or, The ©! Diam rea CAvVeS,..0.0.50000-+eD¥ Re , Emmet 1045 “7” of Die Swamp. AS ft the Great South. .............. . -by Gus Williams 1046 The Castaways of “Iceland; or he Fiend y Roger Starbuck 1047 Rete aad or, Frem One me to ae BET es om cs 1048 An nian at } Seventeen} or, "rom th Bottom to the T 43 bet Ser ea Lg, by C. TS ttle 1049 rer sa Carl; or, Be Factory” Boy 's For- Ree dideddcacmesny qostaoes y RT. es Mtheilling Sto a the South Pacihe. “b a Ga. Bradley 1051 Reade, Jr., in the Sea of, Sand, and His Discovery. of a Lost People.. iby. ““Noname” 1052 Pawnee Bill’s Double; The Great Scout’s Best Trail........... sp cen eerenaon 1053 Pacer Dane, the Senate Detective; hind the Scenes in Washin Hy deat by ¢ (03 paisde 1054 The Skeleton Island; or, A Cruise in Underground Rivers... .by Roger Starbuck 1055 The tin Prince; or, The Treasure of & ee ededetocvae . by Paul Bbreadon 1056 Tasorictive: Fred; or, Life cate a Railroad. by Howard De ‘Vere 1057 Dandy. Dan of Deadwood....... by.‘ Noname”” 1058 Twenty. Years on An Island; er, The Sto: of a Young Castaway...........+ by Kit lyde 1059 ot Deacon's Boy; or, The cent: in'Town mic. ‘ we Peter Pad 1060 The - Phantom LightHouse; or, The Mys-" © tery of the Storm-Coast...by er Starbuck 1061 Dandy Dan is: Preesivcoods and the Fresh From Frisco... .00.....sssees .by “ Noname” 1062 The Rival Rieke or, The Sons Of Free- dom a es C. Little 1063 Backbone Rob, the Boy of BOK: ing His Own Way Through tha wont Saat by Berton ate 1068 Powerray Sam; or, A Cruise to the Sea o 1069 Jobany’ Brown & Co, at Sobek n Starbuck onnn or, jean "s Boy at His Old Tric: ia eomito ee 1070 Frank Reade, Jr., and His, Gre ound ot the Air; or, The Mount- efi Weosacieeete **Noname” With Death...i.........-..000% by. “* Noname” 1012 Go-Ahead Harry, thi e Boy Who re There; or, Where There’s a Will, There’s a OO Littie = ; or, The Prince - Engi- 1073 pi et Nine}; or, e Mp Howard inst 1074 The Boy, Mate; or, Cast chs Con- he ayaa Oe Ohad teed by er Starbuck vic! 1075 #q Jack a Jim; or, Three d Nuts k—comic......-.....5 Tom Teaser 1076 Gelorado Gans om: The King of i noes Saddle Bradley ate wataeal ra ed doa he a Big sap stpdsnspsocvecaleke tect DY. NONRING?~ 41105 Pawnee Bill’ ‘3 Boys; ore 4 e Young Boom: 1078 teak Penrice Ship; or, A Siare : an Unknown SoH : 1079 Benny ahs eet or, A ee Reese ane Ca ws 1030 Nomle Ne Ned, the Boy "Fireman of. 1081 The Two eer, Cattle Kings; or; An Indian Mail Carrier's Oath.........by Paul Braddon 1082 Nimble Nick, the Boy of Nerve; or t- ing 8 Own Battles.....s....205 ..by C. Little 1083 From Pole Pole; oa = fy Es nge Submarine Voyage...by ““Noname 108 The ‘lwo Boy Clowns; S A With a Circus—comic. 1085 pe Mark. of Mystery; ae erie Paul Dotideo 1086 Stoadfase Sid: the Boy Who Never Su Never Surren- dered: or, Standing Up for a Square 1087 Dick Ne res the Bo: ae seihatet eee, These n or, e e Death ...by RTE & of the Blac igate...... 1089 pendy Den of Deadwood and His Great Dividéss.).-2 5. +++-00e.by “* Noname” 1090 Young ee Plunket; or, The an tions of Ebenezer oy by San 1091 Old Oak Burrell, the Journalist by Paul E islam 1092 Among the ‘Amazons. A Thrilling S' of the Interior of Africa..,...by R. T. eek 1093 Afloat in a Tiger’s Den; or, The Wreck of the Menagerie Ship....... by Roger Starbuck 1094 Newsboy Ned; or, m the avenees to a Palacesiivsesvelatevesestsaece by C. 1 Little 1095 Frank Reales ‘Ir., and His Electric or; The Search for the Isle of Dinmnends. art iJocesse “‘Noname”” 1096 Frank Reade, ‘Ir. and His Kiccteic Coach; or, si Search for the Isle of Diamonds. 1097 Rob Ready, the Life Saver: ‘or, Wreckers of the Baham: the 1099 Dandy Dan’ éf Deadweod Betrayed; or, The Vultures of Montana.,.........by ““Noname’” 1100 The Black Fiend of -the Red Sea; or, The Lost Girl of the Coral Cave... ........ by Koger Starbuck 1101 Muldoons Hotel. Part I—co: ay Chisel 1102. Muldoon’s Hotel. Part If.—eomi by ‘Tom Teaser 1103 Dandy Dan of Deadwood in Texas; or, ‘ver Moon Myste: . by “Noname ” 1104 Fer patie Filail; rit ghitin For Land erry rie by Co organ Rattler * ers of Grlahoes: ose 1108 ‘The Boy Scou re: ead San on 1107 hee in Aeelan: or, “athe Man on the Old eee Sod.. 1108 Frapk Reade, Jr., “With His. m ja; or, A Flight A See oname 1109 eh Board — Slave Ship; or, Kidnapped Kor a Strange Voyage.......... G. Bradles 1110; The Weird House of W hits Ch, 32 E. i. _kellone 11 ie Bill, Jr., and ican en ; yn Dr 1112 te Ship’ ‘of Silence;. or, The Terrible League of the Black Sword...... Roger’ Starbuck 113 Fred Frost, the Young Arctic Explorer; : or, Bound to Reach the North Pole... Albert J. Booth 1u4 ee Bob; or, From Rags i Broed SS Siveo nea s CL aeeeS «oe. by C. e 1115 Afloat. in a Cannibal Ship; er, The Fated ‘War-Sloop of tie Dadri ee Pe 1116 “her ent Firemen; or, stand PY the Ma- 1117 Th Young ‘iamond Seokerss or, Rough- c in the Carolina Mountains... Ao T. yee me eh BY Van Winkle. by Allan old Raft; or, A Perilous Cruise oes a Floating Treasure. . by Roger Starbuck Swift and Spry; or, Three Jolly ic. ....by Sam Smiley el Pioneer's T. W. Hanshew 1122 wt E Deadline the Young ig a enue Cap- tain; or, T e Pirate of the Gun-Brig..... 1123 Yi King Cru sete oun; 800; OF, e ure Trove of F con Key..... "i Duiees- by C. Little 11% Hook and Ladder No. 2...by Howard De Vere* 1125 So mes hot, the seg coe ——— or, he Frigate soars ot he Roger Starbuck FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 34 & 36 North Moore Street, New York. ° Peter Spa - ‘Robert Lennox * “Noname” | |