Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
Full Title
Four Fellow Scouts; or, The Unseen Hand / by J. Stanley Henderson.
Author
Henderson, J. Stanley.
Date Added
9 January 2014
Format
Journal
Language
English
Publish Date
1887-09-03
Publisher
New York : Beadle and Adams
Series
Beadle's Boys Library of Sport, Story, and Adventure > v. XIV, no. 177
Source
Dime Novel and Popular Literature
Alternate Title
Beadle's Boys Library of Sport, Story, and Adventure, v. XIV, no. 177, September 3, 1887. Unseen Hand.
Topic
Dime novels > Specimens.
About
More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement
OCR
I8
f‘our Fellow Scouts.
rr inquiries on all sides without
body, making ,
learning the whereabouts of Edith, they cou-
cluded to separa
singly. , , .
We must leave them to do so, while we inquire
what had become of the fair object of their un-
availing search.
As has been stated, Edith had been locked up
a-: a prisoner in a house in Georgeb0W(1 13)’ CH95‘
1. -r Dingle-y, aided by Major btairn. '1heBr1t1.-sh
oili -or, whose strongest controlling motive Wa-'
mxirii-e. had been purcliase.l by the Tory to aid
him in this tI‘Cll)<a.(‘bl0Il, and ‘his alliance had
l.e=-ii of great advantage to. his associate. He
ll‘l.‘l not only furnished Dmgley With 11 ifllfinl
for his prisoner, but his influence had been so
0:; irteul as to prevent all other persons, as well
as her parents, from ascertaining where she was
i-oiieealeil. At the same time he had taken pains
to snreail the report that she was to be married
to Diiigley, and to assure all inquirers that her
fitu ('i)l1x‘e11l) had been given to the match.
On the morning of the day that had been fixed
npin fol‘ the niarriage, he called upon Diiigley
t ) inform lllill that all necessary arrangements
iv-3i'e ciiiisiiniiiiatcil. . ,
“ All that you now have to do,” said he, “ is
t-i go on an 1 complete the business and marry
the young lady. lf she has any further scruples
you need only disregard them. Your way is
i-l;xii'.”
“ Any further scruplcsl” exclainied Dingley.
“ She has nothing but scriiples! I sometimes
fe 31 as if I would like to renounce the business
and throw it off my hands altogether.”
‘“ Pshavv, man! how can you be so timid and
weak-hearted, when you are on the eve of safely
marrying a fortune? I should think it would
be impossible for you to hesitate, when you re-
fleet on what you are to gain by the marriage.
‘Ion know that her father’s estate is sure to be
condseated, and you can get it all, as her brother
will robably swing.”
“ hat is a fact, major. This marriage, if I
can marry her, will be likely to make me the
richest man in VVaccamaw, if not in the colony.
The Alston property, joined to mine, will be
worth owning, indeed. But I must confess that
I am almost afraid of her, sometimes, and I
can’t help fearing that she will find some way to
balk me. I wish you could marry her for me.”
“ I wish I could marry her for myself; but I
have a young wife and two boys in Scotland,
and it takes all I can scrape together to keew
them alive, and support my poor old estate. All
you have to do, Dingley, is to go on and finish the
business. The clergyman whom I have employ-
ed knows his part, and will play it well. There
can be no hindrance, unless it should come from
your own timidity. I would be with you at the
ceremony, but I am obliged to take a detach-
ment with me this morning, and go off into the
country, to apprehend some rebel officers who
are skulking about their homes.”
. “ You are going away!” exclaimed the Tory.
in a tone of dismay. “ This is entirely unex-
pected to me. I don’t know what I shall do
without you. I thought I had paid you enough
to stand by me to the last.”
‘ “ You have positively no need of me, my dear
sir. As I have repeatedly told you, you have
re, and to prosecute the search.
nothing to do 'but to go on and finish -
ness, which is all arranged for you, th1eB:‘,",’,;
com leted my contract. and you have really no
furt ier claims upon me. Besides, my milita
duty is imperative, and must take precedence of
everythingelse. I wish you good-night.”
Deserted by his ally, Dingley did not have the
courage to face Edith Alston a ain, until the
time drew near for the accomplis ment of his
design. He also niadea change in his plan de.
teriniiiin g to have a very private wedding instead
of the public one which had been arranged by
Major Stairn.
When the clergyman had arrived, with the
few witnesses whom he desired to be present; he
went up to Edith‘s room, in some trepidation
opened the door, and stood there with his hat
his hand.
“ To what am I indebted for this visit?” asked
Edith, smiling at his awkward manner.
“ The fact is, Miss Edith,” replied the Tory
“ that” everybody says I am to marry you, to!
night.
“ Everybody does not always speak the
truth.”
“ But everybody is right, in this instance
The clergyman and the witnesses are below and
we are only waiting for you. Will you aclgom-
pany me?”
“ I will go‘down-stairs with vou,” replied
E lith. not knowing but there might be some
hop; for her outside of her prison. “ You must
kn )W that you cannot marr me without my
consent, and that I am sure will never give.”
Dingley made no reply, relying on the virtue
of Major Sta.irn’s “arrangement,” and Edith
accompanied him to a lower room, refusing to
stand up with Dingley before the clergyman
who immediately commenced reading the ser:
vice. VVhen Dingley had dul promised to take
that woman for his wife, Edith was asked
whether she would take that man for her hus-
band.
“ No-most decidedly no,” she replied.
“ You may as well say yes,” said the facile
clergyman. “ I shall understand you tomean
yes: for I am empowered to celebrate this mar-
riage, and I mean to do it. If an person
present knows any lawful cause why t ese two
should not be joined together in the bonds of
wedlock, let him speak now, or--’’
‘ “ Mars’r'Dingley, de Marion folks is comin’!
i)ey’s got into town by dis time, shuah! ’Foi-e
God, I see’d a whole heap ob ‘em comin’ down do
road, and I jess got in ahead ob ’em.’’
The interruption came from one of Dingley’s
Neill“)?-‘$3 W110. h&Ving been on some nocturnal
expedition, after the fashion of his race, had
seen the advanced guard of Marion’s infantry
and had hastened into town to escape them:
Meeting no one in the town, he had come direct
to his master, who, as he well knew, had good
reason to wish to avoid Marion’s men.
His story was quickly told, and was soon cor-
roborated by a tumult in the town, the nature
of which could not be misunderstood.
Directing the guard to bring Edith out, Ding-
ley rushed to the carriage at the door, pulled
the sleeping driver from his seat. and ut his
negro man in his place. Thrusting Edith into
the carriage, he entered it together with the