Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-06-06

ihOCuuSu LO-IO--ySSY AHuIuSI JOu, uue ~
shall live still longer to witness the triumph
of Handy O'Flannagan
The door closed and he was gone.
AS the sun sat behind curtain of cloud
in the far west, our noble hero, Frank Bel
ton, issued from his fathers house, and
mounting fine horse, dashed away to the
distant Moyamensing. He drew the rein be-
fore large stone building on Passayunk
Road, and having enquired for the Superin-
tendant of Police, asked that he might find
two or three men at corner of certain
street to watch suspected locality, at the
hour of ten that night. Of course this re-
quest was granted 1t was dark when he ar
rived at his home; he found that his father
had locked himself within the sanctity of his
own apartment, With orders not 20 be Disturb
ed. Frank pondered within himself Sure
ly his father was about to give his sanction
to the deed which his avarice had prompted
him to conjure.
The hours passed slowly enough to the
youth, and his heart grew lighter as the bra
zen monitor near, informed him that the ap
| pointed time had rolled around To SNUG
| gle himself unseen into the apartment to hear
the conversation of the two plotters, was al
most impossible, for, though he might con-
trive to enter, he could not leave the room
without suffering detection. Fortunately
there was a niche in the wall by his fathers
door, and throwing an overcoat over nail
which was above it, he crept into the niche
and was completely hid by the coat. Thus
engaged he silently and with no little impa-
tience, awaited the return of the ruffian o.
Flanagan.
He was not compelled to wait long, for
soon the bell was rung violently, and Aubrey
Belton hurried to the door to admit his COM
rade in crime. Silently they proceeded to
the room, and passing by the concealment of
the spy entered the secret chamber, and the
door was locked. Gliding noiselessly from
the niche Frank bent his ear to the keyhole,
and recognized the voice of O'Flannagan.
" And now what of the girl?" anxiously
enquired Aubrey Belton, when the door was
locked and he had returned to his seat at the
table.
"She is very ill and suffers much," re-
turned O'Flannagan with his imperturbable
GOODNESS.
"The DEVIL care not whether she be
well or ill, or how she suffers. Did you ask
her the questions told you, and did she an
swer2 Where are her parents ?'
(" A truce a truce, exclaimed the ruffian,
with an attempt at gayety. Zone question
at time, my lord"
"Then did you ask her the ques tions p
81 did" ....
Sand her answers ?' What were they ?'
"That six months since she saw her pa
rents last and Low she knows not if they
live at all !; or if they are in existence, where
you may find them"
"Tophet and she knows not"
6 So she says, and swears il"
,.stpi apid you threaten her with torture and
"Yes, but she shrank not at the mention
of torture, and seemed to welcome the very
idea of DEATH"
awful wretch that you are p muttered
the spy, "what suferings she must under
go to long for death. Well, well. I'll repay
you for this with compound interest, see if
don't -"
Then-MURDER HER!" hissed the Alder
man, "Now gop
"Ohl no, not so fast, my friend. Where
is the recompense for this murder"
"Hush! don't use that word so loud, it's
bad one, it sounds to my heart"
|. "Would to God it could melt it," prayed
thespy. ..-....
How much do you desire p
Every cent of one thousand dollars"
: "Will you not 60 down, extortioner
"No, mot dime" ~.
I" Then here is five hundred. When yol
! ! can bring me proof of her death, the remain
der shall be at your order"
The cheek that was the price of blood wa
: handed to the ruffian, and placing it in hi
. pocket, he arose to go. But the spy hear
' his movements, and gliding noiselessly fror
the place, waited in the shadow Of hous
. . for the coming Of his enemy. Happily tn
= night was dark, and with this advantage b
: = could track O'Flannagan easily by the SCUM
~ of his footsteps. But his own; he had nc
! thought of that, and drawing his knife hast
ly separated the heels from his boots and in
- ! patiently waited.
y OFlannagan came and started towards tn
IL southern portion of the city in brisk wall
,p Noiselessly did the spy follow. In abo,
!; three-fourths of an hour he gained the poil
" where the policemen were secreted, and becl
= oning them to accompany him, followed on
y the very house of the ruffian. O'Flannags
stopped, unlocked the door, and as the heay
portal swung back to its place, Frank echot
:, hearty "Thank God we are not detected
~ But they hesitated not, for one of Il
guardians of the city produced bunch
skeleton keys, and in moment the do
yielded noiselessly to their pressure III
darkness of the inner passage way was sligf
-. ly dispelled by the rays of light that we
" streaming from the half opened door, whit
10 - led into the room where the fair victim
q; Belton's avarice lay. OFlannagan was hea
in the room, while Frank and its associat
anxiously awaited their opportunity to stri
the decisive blow.
us us Well, my little angel" the gruff voice
n ;r O'Flannagan was heard to say, show do y
IN ~ feel nowFn
my God, what wretchl" muttered Fra
ho between his teeth
"Look up, Alice Rowand, you have tt
me that you did not know where your
rents now live. Once more bid you tell n
or see this"
or Frank cautiously peeped in the door, q
- saw the ruffian standing over the couch W
drawn knife.
hv Mercy sir" family implored Alice, "l
| know not"
~ Then prepare yourself for death, for ,
N I'm the name Of the lao" exclaimed
o.t new voice, as hand was laid upon the wou
-" be murderer's shoulder.
ea e The tableau silently changed; there '
H., no outcry or struggle. O'Flannagan was
~ the hands of the faithful guardian of
uiu peace, while Frank was bending over the
:. gile girl, who had swooned in his arms.
you XIV.
nv, THE EDITOR ON THE ALERT.