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29 chapters
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
"Will you give me a glass of water, please?" A ragged, bearded tramp stood before the door of a cottage near the outskirts of a country village, and propounded this question to a pretty girl who stood in the door. "In a moment." The girl disappeared, soon returning with a pitcher. She went to the pump near, and soon had the pitcher running over with sparkling water. "I will bring a cup." "Needn't mind." The tramp lifted the pitcher and quaffed the water as though he enjoyed it. His eyes were not
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
For several hours August Bordine scoured the woods in search of game. His hunt proved unsuccessful, however, and with weary limbs and anything but pleasant mood he retraced his steps. At length he stood in the road within sight of the Vane cottage. Everything looked quiet and peaceful about the place. No smoke curled up from the kitchen chimney, although the sun was low in the western heavens. "Vic hasn't begun to prepare supper it seems," muttered Bordine. "Wonder if I had best go up that way a
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
"I beg your pardon, but does Mr. Vane live here?" A man of small stature, smooth face and the keenest eyes Bordine had ever seen in human head, stood before him. He lifted a broad-brimmed straw hat and fanned himself as though heated, although the air was quite cool for the season. "Do you mean Ransom Vane?" "Yes, sir." "He lives here." "Very good—" "But, sir," interrupted Bordine, "he is in no mood to receive visitors now." "Indeed?" "A terrible thing has happened." Then glancing down, the smal
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$5,000 REWARD.
$5,000 REWARD.
The above reward will be given for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who murdered Victoria Vane at her home in Ridgewood on the 10th of June. "BUCK BRADY, Sheriff ." Other pedestrians paused, attracted as Bordine had been by the flaming poster. "By gosh! that ought to fetch 'im," uttered a queer-looking Yankee, who had been studying the poster for some minutes. Bordine regarded the speaker now for the first time. He was lean and thin, with swallow-tailed coat, tall h
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
For full a minute not a word passed between the two men. The sodden eyes of the tramp were fixed in a sullen gaze on the face of Ransom Vane. "What do you want here?" finally demanded Vane in a harsh voice. "I came to see you." "To see me?" "That's what I said." "I have no money to give you, so you can travel," retorted Vane impatiently. "I hain't just ready to travel," grated the tramp. "You act jest as though you didn't know me, Rans Vane?" "Know you?" The young man glanced fixedly into the fa
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
When the Yankee crept in upon his prey he felt sure of securing him. There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip, however. Our Yankee friend failed to take into consideration the fact that there was a second person in the room. The young man stared at the Yankee and his revolver as if more surprised than frightened. "What's the matter, old chap?" uttered the man, with a sneer. "This is my house—" "You are my prisoner," uttered the Yankee, sternly. "Who are you?" "You will learn soon enough, A
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
It will be remembered that the young hunter who had assisted the wounded Ransom Vane, was hailed on his way to the village by the tramp, who has so far occupied a prominent place in this narrative. A curious smile flitted over the face of the hunter as he looked at the ragged creature before him. "I am glad to see you, Andrew," said the tramp, extending his hand. "Are you?" The hunter refused to touch the dirty paw extended toward him. "Won't you shake?" "No. You have made a mistake. I am not An
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
August Bordine stood handcuffed and a prisoner, his face the picture of utter astoundment. It was too dark, however, for the detective to note the look on the face of the young engineer. "I hope you will go with me peaceably," uttered Keene, as he clutched the arm of his prisoner to lead him away. "Mr. Keene, this is astounding. I thought you were my friend," finally uttered the young engineer, in a voice quivering with emotion. "You are a skilled and slippery villain, young man, but you cannot
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
In a pretty bijou of a room one evening sat a girl of nineteen, tall and stately, with a comely face and eyes that were lustrous as stars. Rose Alstine was not a beauty, but she was good at heart, generous to a fault, and beloved by all who knew her. She was an heiress to wealth that was reputed bordering on a million. Her money prospects, however, in no way marred the goodness of her character. Had she been overly proud she would certainly not have permitted the attentions of the humble enginee
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"RUNAWAY.
"RUNAWAY.
"While Mr. August Bordine was driving down the street, near the depot, his horse became frightened at a passing train and ran. Mr. Bordine was hurled out against a telegraph pole and severely injured. He was removed to his home by a friend. At the hour of going to press we have not been able to obtain further particulars." After reading this, the old gentleman came to his feet. He passed from the hotel, and turned his steps in the direction of the Bordine cottage. In a little time he was ringing
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
When Silas Keene, the New York detective, entered the bar-room, his glances met no familiar face. The tramp had been thoroughly described to Keene, so that he felt that he should know the fellow the moment his glances fell upon him. The detective did not know that his man was on the lookout for him. It will be remembered that a man had been listening through an open window to the conversation between the detective and August Bordine in the early morning. That man was no less a personage than And
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
Robbed of her precious jewels! No wonder Rose Alstine was dismayed. How had the robber gained entrance to her room? An examination of the windows, in fact all openings to the house, proved them intact, and yet the fact remained that the robbery had been committed. Miss Alstine sent word to the chief of police, who came at once, looked over the premises, and promised to use every effort to discover the burglar. Rose never once thought of her lover in connection with such a crime. It was Miss Will
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
Perry Jounce uttered a grunt of satisfaction when he saw that the detective was beyond power to know him for the time. Jounce had been thoroughly posted by Andrew Barkswell, and knew that in the disguised man before him the noted detective was presented. "So," muttered Jounce, as he touched a spring with his foot that sent the weight back to its place in the ceiling, "I reckon you won't trouble us gents agin." Then he went over to the side of the stunned detective, secured his arms and removed h
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
It will be remembered that Andrew Barkswell was startled to find that Rose Alstine had been listening to the confab between himself and wife. This was after the infamous plotter had consigned Detective Keene to a horrible doom at the bottom of the old well under Billy Bowlegs' saloon. Now that the man-tracker was off the trail, Barkswell felt better. He had concocted a tremendous plot that his theft of the diamonds came near despoiling. It was not his wish to have Rose know of the existence of h
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
"Help! Murder!" It was a startling cry that echoed through the grounds and fell on the ear of the man who was passing. He listened a moment, but the sound was not repeated. Vaulting the fence, the man hastened in the direction of the summer-house. He soon gained a position where his black eyes took in a somewhat startling scene—a tall, slender man bending over the prostrate form of a woman, the latter lying still and white on a low, wide bench. "Have I killed her?" muttered the man, in audible t
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
A young man ran up the steps at the Alstine mansion and rang the bell. The servant who answered stared at the gentleman as though there was some noticeable curiosity about him. There was nothing curious, however, in the make-up of the gentleman. He was young and handsome, and the reader knows him as August Bordine, the young engineer. The young man had been laid up for more than a week by the hurt he had received when his horse ran away. He had seen or heard nothing of Rose during this time. The
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
Mrs. Bordine sat listening to the rattle of departing wheels, and wondered if she would be able to sit up until the return of her son. She little imagined how long he was to remain away. Half an hour after her son's departure the good widow was startled at hearing a sound at the front window. Slowly the sash was being raised! The hour was late, and the old lady thought of burglars at once. But what could they possibly want in her house? All the money for the past year's earnings, save what was n
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
"How far do we have to go?" queried August, after the hack had rattled on for some minutes in silence. "Eh?" "How far do we go?" "How far?" "Yes," cried the young engineer impatiently, not relishing the apparent obtuseness of the man outlined before him. "Excuse me," said the man; "I was in a brown study and did not catch on to your remark. If you will please repeat it, I will then try to answer." "Aren't you the gentleman who sent the note?" "Certainly." "Then you must know how far it is to the
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"THAT MURDER MYSTERY.
"THAT MURDER MYSTERY.
"After some weeks of uncertainty the mystery surrounding the murder of Victoria Vane, a beautiful young girl of Ridgewood, seems likely to be closed up. Mr. Ransom Vane, the brother of the murdered girl, has been in our city for some time in secret communication with officers of the law. Young Vane is something of a detective himself, and he has succeeded in fixing the crime, it is believed, upon the right person, a young man of supposed spotless reputation, living with his widowed mother in the
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CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XX.
It was a triumphant expression that fell from the lips of the disguised Barkswell as he saw his enemy plunge headlong into the gulf of boiling waters. Making his way to the edge of the water the villain gazed long and earnestly at the seething foam, but no sign of the body of his rival was to be seen. The night was extremely dark, and this might have prevented his seeing the corpse. "Well, there's no use standing here," muttered the man. "I am satisfied that the body of August Bordine'll be foun
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CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXI.
The bullet that Andrew Barkswell sent hustling after the fleeing Bordine went wide of its mark. The young engineer was moving at such a rate of speed, however, that it was wholly impossible for him to halt. He knew not of the near proximity of the creek, and in consequence went headlong into the foaming current. His head came in contact with a jagged rock that partially stunned him so that for the moment he sank beneath its surface. The swift current buoyed him up, and bore him swiftly from the
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CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXII.
Hot with fever, August Bordine lifted his aching head for the dozenth time to listen for the returning tread of the queer old peddler. A glad bark from Tige was the first announcement the sick young man had of the return of his queer friend. "Tired waiting?" queried Shanks, as he burst through the bushes and confronted the engineer. "Very tired," moaned the feverish lips. Then August put his head upon his hand and regarded the peddler with a look of anxious inquiry. "Did you bring a horse?" "No,
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CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
The aim of the would-be assassin was not good. His bullet flew wide of the mark. Why? The deep growl of a dog was the disturbing cause. As Hank Jones pulled the trigger, a shaggy object bounded through the bushes full at the throat of the villainous murderer. August recognized the peddler's dog. Man and dog rolled down the bank to the water's edge. In the struggle the disguised outlaw's beard was torn off, and Andrew Barkswell stood revealed. "Curse you, I'll knife you for this!" grated the baff
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CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Not a word passed between the two for some moments. The man glanced up and down the street uneasily, then resumed his hat and said: "I am glad you recognize me, Rose. I have been wanting to see you for a long time." "You have risked your life in coming," she said. "Surely you know that a large reward rests against you." "I do, but I am willing to risk life to see the one I love—" "Hush! Mr. Bordine," cried the girl, huskily. "I wish to hear no more of that." "No? Then you believe the stories tha
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CHAPTER XXV.
CHAPTER XXV.
The remainder of that night and for several days thereafter the city was wild with excitement over the story of the sudden disappearance of the man for whom five thousand dollars reward was offered. The policeman was not mortally hurt, but the wound he had received was destined to lay him up for a long time. A thorough search of the city failed to discover the assassin. His bold return had evidently been to see his betrothed, and it was surmised by many that Rose Alstine could tell, if she would
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CHAPTER XXVI.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Rose Alstine did not visit the widow in her prison home for some days after her encounter with the counterfeit August Bordine. In fact, she was quite ill for a time, and kept her room, refusing to see any one, not excepting her cousin Janet. "What a tormented little fool," declared the old maid. "If a man had used me as this one has Cousin Rose, do you think I'd take on, and make myself miserable over his villainy? No, I wouldn't—" "But you'd go for another man at once," put in Sallie, the maid,
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CHAPTER XXVII.
CHAPTER XXVII.
"My presence here has been discovered," he whispered hoarsely. "What shall we do?" He had seemingly forgotten his determination to face the world and fight for his life as a man should. Under the excitement of the occasion Rose thought only of saving her lover from the hands of rude men, who looked upon him as a wild beast justly their prey. "Open the door, or I will break it down!" thundered a voice without. "This way, quick!" cried Rose. She led the way from another room that led from the parl
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CHAPTER XXVIII.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
"Dead! No, no, it must not be," cried the peddler, in an excited tone. The doctor felt the woman's pulse. "There is life certainly," he said, after a moment. "It is possible that she may be revived." "A hundred dollars shall be your fee, doctor, if you revive her so she can speak again," declared Shanks in a tone of the most intense eagerness. "I will try." Placing a medicine case on the stand at the head of the bed, the doctor, whose gray hairs seemed to indicate long experience at least in the
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CHAPTER XXIX.
CHAPTER XXIX.
"My son, my son!" The next instant the old lady was clasped to the breast of August Bordine. It was a dramatic scene. But the drama was not yet complete. Several men were striding through the garden, the two in advance wearing the uniform of the city police. "August Bordine, I arrest you for the murder of Victoria Vane." [Illustration: "I ARREST YOU FOR THE MURDER OF VICTORIA VANE."] A hand fell on the impostor's shoulder and a bearded face looked into his. There came a wild gleam to the eyes of
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