i i; m ORION, THE GOLD BEATER OR TRUE HEARTS AND FALSE A TALE OF NEW YORK LIFE BY SYLVANUS COBB, JR. AUTHOR OF " THE GUNMAKER OF MOSCOW," " THE STORM SECRET," ETC., ETC. PHILADELPHIA : HENRY T. COAXES & CO. COPYRIGHT, BY ROBERT BONNER. COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY THE CASSELL PUBLISHING CO. All rights reserved. .ieprintcd from the A^w F^r/t Ledger by permission of Mr. Robert Bonner. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGB I. ORION A CURIOUS ADVENTURE, i II. A CATASTROPHE, 9 III. -THE HOME OF THE DYING, - - - - 18 IV. THE CONFLICT STORY OF A LIFE, - - 26 V. JASPER THORNTON A SUSPICION, - 35 Vl. A MYSTERY, ------- 42 Vii. DARO KID THE MERCHANT AT HOME, - 51 VIII. A STARTLING SCENE, -^ ... - 57 IX. SHADOWS, - . -' ..-.;-, .... 65 X. RUIN A THRILLING EPISODE, ... 72 XI. RESTITUTION, - : .> '-"'-;.. * 83 XII. PASSING AWAY, 'V - ".. - - - 94 XIII. CONVALESCENCE A PLEASING INTERVIEW, - 102 XIV. AN ACCOMMODATING ROBBER, - - - no XV. THE ABDUCTION, > - - - - - 118 XVI. A LIVE COUNT, AND AN UNWELCOME VISITOR, 126 XVIL COUNTER PLOT, 134 XVIIL DISAPPOINTMENT THE DAWN OF LOVE, - 142 XIX. THE PRISONERS, 151 XX. A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT, - - * 160 XXI. IN SEARCH OF A SECRET, ? ? 167 M11976 11 CONTENTS. CHAPTBR PAGE XXII. THE CONFERENCE AN UNEXPECTED AD- VENTURE, 175 XXIII. THE PRINCE LOST! LOST! - - - 184 XXIV. THE WOLF IN THE WORN ONE'S RETREAT, 194 XXV. THE VISION PASSING AWAY, - - - 204 XXVI. A NEW PHASE OF THE MYSTERY, - - 213 XXVII. THE LAST MISSION, - - - - 221 XXVIII. THE PLOTTERS FOR EVIL, * - - 229 XXIX. THE PLOT is CONSUMMATED, - . - 238 XXX. LOVE'S BATTLE, - - - .- - 245 XXXI. MORE PLOTTING BARTERED SOULS, - - '255 XXXII. GLICKER PLAYS A TRUMP, AND SHOWS HIS HAND; BUT is SLIGHTLY ASTONISHED UPON BEHOLDING THE HAND OF HIS ADVERSARY, - 260 XXXIII. How THORNTON'S PLOT WORKED, - - 269 XXXIV. ASTOUNDING DEVELOPMENTS, - - - 275 XXXV. THE LAST BLOW is STRICKEN, - - - 284 XXXVI. REUNION THE STRICKEN, ... 294 XXXVII. A RECORD, 302 XXXVIII. A STORY OF THE PAST, .... 307 XXXIX. CONCLUSION, ....... 314 INTRODUCTION. IT would be gilding refined gold to introduce Sylvanus Cobb, Jr., to the lovers of fiction in the United States. There are few to whom his name is not a household word, so that it is not as an introduction to the author that the publish- ers print this note. They give it merely to set forth a few facts in connection with the publication of Mr. Cobb's works by them. For a number of years it was only through the columns of the New York Herald that Sylvanus Cobb, Jr., could reach his public, and it is unnecessary to say that his extraordinary popularity added largely to the circulation of that journal. What this popularity was and how lasting its quality may be judged from the fact that Mr. Bonner re- printed his stories in the very columns where they made their first appearance. He was shrewd enough to appreciate that the taste of one generation of readers is not unlike that of another, and he printed for the delectation of the sons the stories that had kept their fathers up into the small hours to read. They were only accessible through the columns of the Ledger until now that the under- signed have arranged for their publication in book form. That masterpiece of the decently sensational novel, " Orion the Goldbeater/' is the first of Mr. Cobb's stories to find itself between covers, and others will follow in the Sunshine Library at short intervals. His " Orion the Goldbeater" is a story of New York life, and is as true to-day as when the author wrote it. The scenes are just the same, the charac- ters just as real, and the interest as intense as when a quar- ter of a million readers were waiting breathlessly for its appearance from week to week. It may be said of Sylvanus Cobb, Jr., that while he wrote with a pen that never lost its hold upon those who fol- lowed its course, while small boys and young girls as well as their parents followed the careers of his heroes and' VI INTRODUCTION. heroines, while they wept over their sorrows and laughed with their joys, their interest was held by legitimate means and not by the publication of things that should cause the author to blush. There is nothing in any of Sylvanus Cobb's stories that the most particular parent could call objectionable, and an author could have no prouder epitaph than that which would record this fact. Sylvanus Cobb, Jr., as he was called to the day of his death, was the son of a New England clergyman, and was born in Waterville, Maine, in 1823, and died in 1887, at Hyde Park, Massachusetts, where he had lived since 1869. His life was a quiet one, and had been devoted principally to journalism. He was the editor of one or two Boston papers at different times, but he found story-writing so remunerative that he gave up every other form of writing and devoted himself exclusively to that branch of the art. By an arrangement with Mr. Bonner his stories for the last twenty years of his life were published exclusively in the columns of the Ledger. Mr. Cobb amassed a large fortune by his pen, and built himself a handsome house at Hyde Park. His study was situated in a remote corner of the house in a tower built ex- clusively for his convenience. There he wrote uninter- rupted, surrounded by all the curious odds and ends that he had picked up during his life. He was particularly fond of arms and armor, and his collection of these articles was rare and valuable. " Mr. Cobb's will is so characteristic of the man that we quote an extract from it ; I do set it down as my ex- press desire that no member of my family or relative or friend shall for me put on at any time any outward badge of mourning. Let no blackness of crape or funeral weed cast its gloom upon my memory. I would that my beloved ones should seek the brightness and fragrance of faith and trust in God, rather than the gloom which belongs to doubt and unrest. I go to find more light. Add ye not to the darkness who remain behind." ORION, THE GOLD BEATER; OR TRUE HEARTS AND FALSE. CHAPTER I. ORION A CURIOUS ADVENTURE. NEW YORK ! The Metropolis of the Union ! Nestled away in its land-locked bay teeming with the collected wealth of nations crowded with its gathering hosts of humanity a vast battle-ground of Life, in the midst of which stands Mammon, flushed with conquest and victory ! What a field for the study of man ! Who can count its riches, or who shall dare to guess at its poverty ? The eye is dazzled by its princely palaces, and the heart bleeds in view of its squalid wretchedness ! Here its thousands roll in luxurious plenty ; and there its thousands more fall crushed and dying beneath want and famine ! Here the favored ones see green trees, and breath fresh air ; while there the poor children of dire necessity look only upon fostering corruption and breathe the foul miasma of pestilence and death ! Pass this way, and we find intelligence, morality, and virtue ; but turn thither, and we stand in the midst of ignorance, of vice, and of moral death ! But mark ! All its poverty is not vicious and all its wealth is not virtue ! No, no ! In some of the palaces you may find hearts black with sin ; and in some of the hovels you shall find souls as true and pure as earth can beget. And now, if any of the scenes of my story cause a shudder, 2 . , , , QXSO.V, THM. GOLD BEA TER. remember 'th'at 1 " only *give them because they are true. God forbid that I should draw one single theme of horror from imagination, when I have seen with my own eyes, in this great city, scenes so terrible that I could not write them if I would scenes which would so shock the senses that even simple belief would be staggered. I would not pander to morbid curiosity I will only picture humanity as I find it. If I show you vice, it is that you may shun it ; but be sure we shall find much, very much, of noble virtue that is worth copying virtue that warms the heart, beautifies life, and lifts the soul heavenward ! It was towards the close of a wet, cold day in Spring in the first week of May. It had not been raining, but a sort of sleety mist had hung over the great city since early morning, and the pavements were sloppy and wet. The dampness fell insensibly, but it clung to the stones and bricks with such tenacity, never drying up nor running off, the deposit of the early hours still remaining where it first found rest, that there was more mud and slop in the streets and upon the sidewalks than could have resulted from rain. Upon the avenues the cars and the stages were full even to that fabulous fullness in view of which the drivers refuse to stop for even " one more," and yet the sidewalks were crowded with men, women, and children hurrying home from the toils of the day jostling and pushing each one for self looking only ahead caring for nothing about them all citizens of the same town, and yet all strangers. Down-town the larger stores were all closed, and in some of the more retired localities the gas was already lighted. Upon Broadway, in the midst of the great business por- tion of the city, stood a large brick building, which, run- ning back over several lots, rested its rear upon a court- yard that opened from the main thoroughfare by a narrow passage. Upon this court were several shops and offices, and, unlike most places of the kind, the yard was neat and clean. In one of the basements, which was well lighted from both sides, was a manufactory of gold-leaf. The apartment was quite spacious, with a small office and assaying-room in one corner, and with anvils, or beating- tables, for some dozen workmen. At the present time there was only one person in the goldsmith's shop a young man, twenty-two years of age, named Orion Lindell. He had ORION A CURIOUS ADVENTURE. 3 been in the employ of Mr. Garvey, the owner, only about five years, and yet he was the foreman of the shop. All outside of the office was under his charge, and those who know the peculiar value of the material which passed in large quantities through his hands will at once realize the responsibility of his station. He had proved himself com- petent and faithful, and untold wealth was left to his individual care with as much assurance of its safety as its owner could have felt in all the vaults and proof locks in the city. Orion Lindell was of medium size, not large in frame, but firmly and compactly built, with a form of admirable proportions ; his limbs full and finely rounded ; his breast broad and nobly developed, and his carriage free and light. His face was one of peculiar, manly beauty. His brow was high, open, and full, above and about which clustered the glossy hair in light brown curls ; his eyes sparkling and bright, and of a deep bluish gray color ; his nose slightly aquiline, with those finely curved nostrils which mark the firm, energetic soul ; his lips thin though not too thin betraying no sensualism, but showing the stout will and quickness of feeling which characterize the man of daunt- less moral courage. Such was Orion Lindell true, pure, and noble ; beloved and honored by all who knew him ; respected by those below him, and always obeyed cheerfully and quickly. None could do more work, and few could do as much as he. His arms were like the shaft of a trip-hammer, and a constant swinging of the ponderous beating-maul had so developed the muscular power that even he himself was ofter surprised at the result of his own physical strength. He had just finished putting things in order, and was about to put on his coat, when the door was opened, and a young man entered. He was a clerk in a store overhead, being some three years older than Orion, and taller, as well as a little heavier. " Ah, Orion off, eh ? " the new-comer remarked, as he closed the door behind him. " Yes, Charley it's late enough, isn't it ? " " I s'pose 'tis. It's dark early to-night. But say I've come down to take a bout with the gloves, Won't you try 'em?" 4 ORION, THE GOLD BEATER. " Pooh," laughingly returned Orion, " you don't want to try the gloves to-night." " Yes just a minute. I'm going to see Bill Emmerton to-morrow, and I want to astonish him. Come just give us a turn." " Well if you are earnest about it." And thus speaking Orion turned to a small desk from which he took two pairs of boxing gloves. He was not a boxer by profession, but having been brought up in company with a man who taught the art for a living, he had learned much of the science. He found it a healthy, athletic exercise, and he had followed it up ; and now, as a source of amusement, he taught the art to some of those friends who objected to mixing with professed pugilists. Having handed one pair of the gloves to his friend he put on the other, and then bade the former to "prepare." Charles Adams was very handy at the play, and for some time he had been in the habit of practising with Orion ; but in point of skill or prowess he was a mere child when compared with his friendly tutor. " It's no use," said Adams, at the end of some five minutes, during which time he had been trying to hit his antagonist somewhere. " It's no use. I can't do it." " Do it in this way," returned Orion, laughing, at the same time placing the back of his glove very carefully and gracefully upon Charley's face, but without any force. " Tell me how to do that," the clerk cried, earnestly. " Now strike my face with all your might," said Orion. Adams made the attempt, but his hand passed harm- lessly over Orion's shoulder, and as he plunged forward with the impetus of the blow the latter caught him, and, with a ringing, merry laugh, laid him on the floor. Yet he gave his friend such instruction on a particular point as the time would permit, and then the gloves were put away. " I'd give all I'm worth if I could only possess your power and skill, Orion," said the clerk, as he ran his eyes admiringly over the handsome, compact frame of the gold- beater. " Practice practice," returned Orion. u Ah but practice won't give me your muscle." " Never mind 'twill give you a good substitute science/ 1 ORIOKA CURIOUS ADVENTURE. J " Well you shall teach me. Only teach me so that I can hit you once, and that's all I'll ask." " Oh you may easily do that." " We'll try it, at all events," said Adams, as he turned away. " I shall hold you to your promise." With these words the clerk left the place to return to his store, while Orion proceeded to put away the gloves. After this the young gold-beater put on his coat, and having assured himself that all was right otherwise, he closed and secured the heavy iron shutters, and then left the shop. There were two doors one of wood and glass, and one of iron. These he closed and locked, and then putting the key in his pocket he moved away. The other shops that opened into the court were all closed, and Orion was the last one out. He had walked half the distance from the shop to the street, when he was suddenly stopped by a small girl rush- ing in through the narrow passage. She saw him, and at once ran towards him, with her little hands both stretched out most imploringly. " Save me ! Oh, good sir, save me ! " she cried, as she reached the place where he stood, and clasped one of his hands. She trembled violently, and as soon as she thus stopped she burst into tears. She was very small ; not over eight years of age, with a face of striking beauty ; her eyes large and black ; her hair floating in raven ringlets wildly over her shoulders ; her dress very spare, and though soiled by the present muddy state of the streets, yet neat and tidy. Her bare feet her little hood, and the thin, insufficient frock be- spoke her to be the child of poverty and want. All this Orion saw in a moment, and during that moment, too, his heart went out in love and pity for the little one. " What is it ? " he asked. " What do you fear ? " " Oh, those bad men, sir ! " she gasped, gazing prayer- fully up through her tears. "Oh, don't let them get me ! they'll hurt my good mamma, if you do ! " Ere Orion could speak further, two men rushed into the passage, and were soon in the court. " Aha ! Here you be, eh ? " uttered the foremost of them. " Here you be, my chick. Now, I'll just trouble you to come along." 6 ORIOtf, THE GOLD BE A TEtt. Orion knew he had seen that face somewhere, and upon a closer survey he remembered the speaker as one whom he had seen at the police court, charged with some petty theft, at one time when he had been summoned as a witness in another case. The fellow's name was Duffy Glicker a stout, heavy, burly brute, in the prime of physical life, and known to the police as a low gambler, thief, and bully. His companion was of the same kidney, and full as stout and heavy. " No, no, no ! " shrieked the poor little one. " I don't want to go ! " "" Ye don't, eh? Well I'm sorry I am. But come along." " Stop a minute," said Orion, at the same time drawing the girl quickly away from Clicker's grasp. " What do you want with this child ? " Mr. Duffy Glicker straightened uj> and gazed upon the youth with a sort of condescending wonder. He measured the light frame with his eye for he judged everything of that kind by its bulk and then said : " What's that to you ? " " It's this much to me," returned Orion, calmly : " I would know how much right you have to the girl. She has claimed my protection, and " " Your protection ! Ha, ha, ha. Your protection. Well, we'll just take her off'm yer hands. Come along, you little" But Duffy was interrupted in turn, for Orion again pulled the little one from him. " Tell me, child, who these men are ? " he inquired, turn- ing to the little girl, as he drew her close to his side. "They're wicked men, sir ; and they want to find my mamma. She has got away from them once, and now they say they will kill me if I don't tell them where she is. Oh, don't let them ! Don't ! don't ! " Look 'e, my fine cove," cried Glicker, beginning to show his temper, " just mind your own business, and don't trouble yourself with mine. Ye may get yer head broke if yer don't look out. D'ye mind that ? " And then turn- ing to his companion he added : " Say, Bill nab the brat, and I'll just pop this cove if he meddles. Come quick." ORION A CURIOUS ADVENTURE. 7 The little girl uttered a low, quick cry of terror as she saw the second wretch start towards her, but he did not reach her ; Orion caught her by the arms, and having darted back a few paces he placed her behind him, and then turned towards the two scamps. " Stop ! " he cried, as they started to advance. " If you have any right to this girl you can prove it. I shall keep her now, and if she belongs to you, you can easily claim her. But mark me, you can't have her now ; so clear out. Come away you go !" " Well ! " burst from Mr. dicker's lips, in astonishment. " Here's a rum go, an' no mistake. Bill Slumpkey, what'll we do with him ? put him in our boots, or land him in the gutter ? " " Dump him ! " returned the individual who bore the euphonious name of Slumpkey, with a hearty oath. " Dump him ! " " That's the go/' added Glicker, and then, turning to Orion, he resumed : " Now look'ee : I don't want to kick up a fuss here, but give me that little 'un. Give her to me, I say, or I'll give ye a poke that'll make ye think yer head's got lightnin* dancin' through it ! " " Stand back ! " ordered Orion. " This girl you cannot have to-night ! " " Can't, eh ? By the holy poker, we'll see ! Ah take that ! " But Mr. Duffy Glicker found himself slightly at fault. As he spoke he had aimed a crashing blow at the youth's head, but instead of striking as he had planned he felt something fall on his own face, and immediately afterwards something else fell upon the wet pavement. This some- else was nothing less than the doughty Mr. Glicker him- self. Bill Slumpkey gazed just long enough to assure himself that his companion had really fallen, and then he sprang upon the gold-beater like a tiger. Orion saw in an instant that the fellow had more strength than wit, and with a simple movement he passed the huge fist over his left shoulder, and at the same time, by a blow such as few men could strike, he landed Mr, Slumpkey by the side of his companion. 8 ORION, THE GOLD BE A TER. By this time Glicker had partially recovered, and when he realized that his mate was down he sprang to his feet and dashed at the youth again. " Beware ! " cried Orion. " I don't want to hurt you." " I see yer play," the villain gasped, puffing the blood from his lips ; and as he spoke he came on again, and again he was knocked senseless to the pavement. Slumpkey staggered to his feet, and having gazed for a moment upon his fallen companion he uttered a fearful oath, and rushed a second time upon our hero. The youth was desirous of terminating the scene. He felt that in no way was he to blame, and he simply determined to conquer the miserable wretches at once. " Hark ye, " he cried to Slumpkey, as the latter came rushing on. "Now leave me, and you shall go in peace; but raise your hand against me again and you shall suffer. Do you mind ?" " Get out ! " the bully returned. " I'll give you a taste of another game." His intention evidently was to grasp the youth in his arms, and then crush him; but he missed his object. Orion knocked him down again, and immediately afterwards dropped Glicker for the third time. Then he turned to the little one, and taking her quickly by the hand, passed out into Broadway, and having gained a safe distance, he stopped beneath a gas-light and drew the girl up before him. ' What is your name ? " he asked. i Lizzie Milmer, sir, " she replied, in a pretty tone. ' Have you got a father and mother ? " ! Yes, sir; but my papa is very sick." 1 Where do they live ? " * Down on the Five Points on Little Water Street, sir." 1 Well, now, will you go along with me to-night, and get some good supper, and a pair of shoes, and sleep in a good, warm bed, or will you go home ? " The poor child bowed her little head, and after awhile she looked up through gathering tears and said " I'll go home with you, sir, if you'll you'll " " Well, speak on. Don't be afraid," " Oh, sir if you would only give me something for my poor, good mamma and for my papa^ Oh, sir they're nqt A CATASTROPHE. 9 bad people indeed they are not. They never drink rum, nor talk wicked talk. Oh, sir " " Generous child!" cried Orion, pressing the little one warmly to him, " they shall be helped. They will not be frightened if you do not come home to-night, will they ? " " Not much, sir. They'll think I've got belated some- where, as I have done before." " Then come along with me, and in the morning I'll go down and see your parents ; come you have nothing more to fear." Thus speaking, the gold-beater turned on his way, and the child clung to him closely and fondly. Her simple un- derstanding comprehended that she was with one in whose honor and truth she could confide, and as she pattered along the cold pavement till they could find a stage in which there was room for them, she forgot all her sorrows in the new gratitude that had sprung to life within her soul; for her thoughts were turned heavenwards as, from her childish heart, she called down blessings upon the head of her friend. CHAPTER II. A CATASTROPHE. The narrow, road-like continuation of Broadway " up town, " is a very different affair from Broadway " down town. " Not far above Twenty-Ninth Street, on this same Broadway, stood a small frame house, neatly and taste- fully arranged, situated some distance from the street, ''with a long garden in front. It was a cottage-built dwelling, and bore to the beholder at once some idea of comfort and of home. Within one of the lower rooms, and close by the small centre-table above which burned a gas-light, was seated a middle-aged woman engaged in sewing. She was not over forty years of age ; small and delicate in frame, with her hair still glossy and brown, and her dark blue eyes full and lustrous, and pos- sessing yet a wondrous beauty. No man could have gazed into that pale, melancholy face io ORION, THE GOLD BEATER. without being moved by the strange beauty that rested upon the delicate features. It was a hopeful, prayerful, sub- dued expression, full of gentleness and love, and beaming with soul and noble thought. There was no trace of sor- row upon the fair brow, nor yet was there any of that blithe, merry joy which we often find upon the faces of those who are contented and happy ; but the look was one of perfect peace and good-will induced by prayer and resignation. There were shades upon the features a sim- ple line upon the brow, a peculiar melancholy light of the eye, and a cast of the cheek and lip, which plainly revealed to the close student of humanity that a great sorrow had at some time fallen upon her ; and though she could not for- get it, nor separate it from her life, yet she so far over- came it as to be happy and peaceful. Such was Catherine Lindell and surely she was one whom no acquaintance could help loving truly and well. She was the angel of the sick-bed to those who lay in physical pain ; the harbinger of peace to those who suffered wrong ; and the bright spirit of relief to those who were bowed down beneath poverty and want. From her own scanty store she could afford much, and often did she share her neighbors' want that they might be blessed from her narrow means. The night had set in, and without it was pitchy dark. Ever and anon Mrs. Lindell would stop her needle as some noise from the street fell upon her ear, and several times she went to the window and looked out. At length, just as the little clock upon the mantel struck eight, she heard the gate opened, and in a moment more came the well- known footfall upon the flagging. She hurried to the door, and opened it just in time to admit her son. A warm kiss was exchanged, and then the latter said, " I trust you have not worried for me, mother." " No, no, Orion, I have not worried ; but yet you are later than usual." " Aye, for I have had business. See here is a poor child for whom I have been purchasing stockings and shoes. She is a good little girl, I'm sure, and we must love her." Without speaking, Mrs. Lindell hastened back into the sitting-room, and Orion followed her, leading little Lizzie Milmer by the hand. As soon as he sat down he related A CATASTROPHE. II all the circumstances attending the finding of the child, omitting only the little passage-at-arms between himself and the two gentlemen from whom Lizzie fled. As he ceased speaking his mother called the child to her side and drew her upon her knee. Then she brushed back the raven hair from the open brow, and gazed into those large, dark eyes strange eyes, they were, so dark and brilliant, when contrasted with the pale cheek and delicate features. Mrs. Lindell at once read a noble character in the little one, and her own face wore a look of affectionate sympathy. " Tell me about your papa and mamma, " she said, draw- ing the child to her bosom, and imprinting a kiss upon her fair brow. " Suppose we have some supper first, " interposed Orion, with a smile. " Well I had entirely forgotten supper, " returned the mother with a light laugh. " On the whole, I think, a little food would be better than story-telling for our pretty child. The meal is all ready. " Thus speaking she arose, still holding Lizzie in her arms, and led the way to the rear apartment, where a coal fire was burning in the small range, and where the supper-table was all set. The eyes of the poor child filled with tears many times as her friends spoke so kindly to her, and grati- tude was apparent in her every look. As she took a small cake, towards the close of the meal, she struggled hard with her feelings, but was finally obliged to lay the cake down, for the flood could be no longer stayed. She burst into tears, and covered her face with her hands. " Dear Lizzie, " muttered Mrs. Lindell, laying her .hand upon the poor girl's head, "what is it?" What's the matter ? " But the child could not speak. " Tell me, Lizzie, " urged Orion, " what makes you cry ? " For a while this renewed earnestness of love only made her weep the more, but at length she so far overcame her emotions as to be able to speak, and in a choking tone she said : Oh I was wishing that my papa and mamma could be loved like you love me. Oh, they are very unhappy, and nobody loves them ! " 12 ORION, THE GOLD BEATER. " Nobody ? " inquired the woman. " Do you think no one loves them ?" " Perhaps God loves them. Do you think he does?" " Of course, my child. God loves all his children. But cheer up. We will love your papa and mamma. " At length Mrs. Lindell succeeded in calming the child's emotions, and when the meal was ended they returned to the front room, where Lizzie told her simple story. She could only tell that her father was a book-binder by trade; that he had been sick for some time, and had conse- quently become poor. Once they had a good home, and were comfortable and happy, but now they could no longer enjoy any of the comforts of life. They only strove to keep life in their bodies. " But what did those two men want of your mamma ? " asked Mrs. Lindell, who had now gained the entire con- fidence of the child. " It isn't both of them," said Lizzie, very earnestly. " It's only Duffy Glicker that wants her. I don't know exactly what it is only I know mamma is afraid of him. He wants her to do something when my papa is dead. Oh, he is a very wicked man ! " The hostess drew the fair unfortunate upon her bosom and kissed her, and then asked her if she wouldn't like to go to bed. She said yes, and Mrs. Lindell soon prepared a little bed in her own room, into which the child was put. Then she sat down by her side and taught her a simple prayer, and sang sweetly to her until she fell asleep. For a long time after Mrs. Lindell returned to her sitting- room she and her son talked the matter over, and they selected some few things which he was to take to the suffer- ing ones in the morning. After this they related to each other, as was their wont, the affairs of the day, and then retired for the night. On the following morning, Orion and his mother were early astir. The fog of the preceeding day had all gone, and the sun arose bright and clear, with the prospect of warm and pleasant weather. Breakfast was soon prepared, and then Lizzie was aroused from her deep slumbers. She smiled when she started up, and her first utterance was, that she had had a very good dream. When she was all washed clean, and her fine silken hair combed, and her A CATASTROPHE. *3 dried and cleaned garments put on, she looked very pretty and sweet. She threw her arms about Mrs. LindeH's neck and kissed her, and then, while the warm tears gushed from her eyes, she murmured: " Oh how good you are to me ! " The woman returned the kiss, and then led the way to the breakfast-table. The meal was eaten, and Orion had just arisen from the table, when a loud noise in the street attracted his attention. He heard the sound of loud voices, and saw men running down the street. Seizing his hat he rushed out, and as he reached the sidewalk he saw a span of horses coming up Broadway at a furious gallop, with a coach behind them on three wheels. He could see that there were people in the coach, and that they had not only lost all control of the horses, but of themselves as well. Many men ran out in front of the furious animals, and swung their hats and cried out, but they darted back as the infuriated horses came crashing on, and all their efforts seemed only to frighten them more. In the forward part of the coach was a woman, whose hands were clasped upon the silver rod of the dasher, and who cried aloud for help for mercy for God to save them ! Soon a cry of horror went up from the multitude. The horses were dashing towards a post upon the roadside. On they flew the coach, with its shattered axletree, struck the immovable obstacle the shock came, and the girl by the dasher was hurled forward and caught upon the pole, the reins and straps strangely catching and holding her. The car- riage was crushed by the concussion, and away went the horses without it. The people now stood transfixed with horror ! The ill- fated woman could no longer cry out, or if she did it was in a tone so weak that no one could hear her. That she must be instantly killed seemed apparent to all. She was fast to the tangled harness, directly between the horses, and her garments were quickly torn to shreds. Orion saw the whole at a single glance, and, under the influence of a will which no fear of earth could have swerved, he darted into the middle of the street and faced the coming horses. He measured the distance instantly, and with his body firmly braced he extended both his arms and called out boldly and authoritatively for the animals to $tpp. A hun 14 ORION, THE GOLD BEATER. dred voices shouted for him to come back, but he heeded them not. A horse knows very well when a man is afraid of him, and when he is not ; and he can distinguish, too, the tone of command from the yell of fear. As the two animals saw Orion and heard his voice, they seemed to hesitate, but yet they dashed on. They appeared to believe that he would flee from before them as all others had done ; but he did not, and when they came upon him, and met the calm, determined fire of his expressive eyes, and heard his tone of command, they would have stopped if they could, but their fearful impetus was not so easily to be overcome. With a quick movement, Orion grasped both the check- reins at the same time, being careful to keep between the horses, so that their feet should not strike him, and then, with an effort as wondrous in its execution as it was re- markable in its conception, he raised himself from the ground, thus bearing his whole weight upon their checked heads. They made a few spasmodic bounds after this, and then stopped. Their sides and flanks were bathed in white foam, and they trembled as though their limbs would almost fall asunder. An instant of silence followed this astounding feat, and then the shout went up. But Orion stopped not to listen to the encomiums that were showered upon him. He called a couple of stout men to come and hold the horses, and then he hastened around to the unfortunate one whom he feared he should find dead. When he commenced to clear her from the harness he found that her arm had plunged through the breeching, while one of the tugs, or traces, had got a turn around the elbow. Thus had she been dragged by that one arm, and of course it was broken. It required but a few moments for our hero to cast off the fell lashings, and then taking the girl up in his stout arms he bore her at once into his own dwelling, almost directly in front of which the horses had been stopped. A physi- cian one in whom Orion had full confidence was at hand, having been attracted by the noise, and he immedi- ately attended upon the sufferer. There was a disposition on the part of some of the members of the crowd to rush int$ the house, but the youth soon managed to calm them, anrf having assured them that everything should be don A CATASTROPHE. 15 for the woman's benefit which human care could accom- plish, he persuaded them to disperse, or go and see if any one was hurt at the shattered coach. Some of the more earnest would not leave until they were assured that the girl would live ; and finally, to satisfy them, the physician came out and gave them the assurance they wanted, but at the same time informed them that her safety depended upon the quietness they could preserve about her. After this the crowd went away, and though there was still some noise in the quarter where the coach lay, yet it did not penetrate with any power into the gold-beater's cottage. When Orion returned to the room where he had left the girl, he found her insensible, though she had seemed to be perfectly conscious when he carried her in. " It's better as it is," said the physician ; " Her left arm is broken in three places, and perhaps we can set it without any consciousness of pain on her part." The physician required Orion's help in setting the bone, and he found it very effective, for in addition to an excel- lent judgment he found the youth to possess an amount of physical power which set aside all need of straps and pulleys, in bringing the bones to their places. The arm was broken once above the elbow, and twice below it, but it was set without much difficulty, and as soon as such rough splints as were at hand had been applied, the doctor turned his attention to the other injuries. There was a bruise upon the head, just over the left ear, but the skull was not at all fractured. Then there was a deep wound upon the left shoulder, and some other bruises about the body. To help to fix these Orion left his mother, and having received a further assurance from the physician that the patient was out of inevitable danger, he left the apartment. When he reached the front room he found quite a crowd in the yard, and soon saw a gentleman and lady coming up the walk. The former limped considerably, and walked with evident pain. Orion hastened to the door to admit them, for he supposed at once that they had been inmates of the coach, and they might be the parents of the injured girl. The man was a tall, well-built person, with a proud, noble bearing, and some five-and-forty years of age. His 1 6 ORION, THE GOLD BEATER. hair, which was of a nut-brown hue, curled handsomely about his high brow, and his large, dark hazel eyes had a fire of more than ordinary intelligence and meaning. His dress and general appearance betrayed the wealthy man. The woman was full as old as her companion, if not older, and though she possessed some traits of beauty, yet the intelligent beholder would see at a glance that she was one of those who had worn themselves down by rich food, strong wines, and unseasonable hours. She was tall and rather slim, with a proud, overbearing look ; a face very pale and wan, and wearing an expression of haughty disdain of all below her. Her garb was such as only a child of wealth could wear. " Miss Durand was brought in here, was she not, sir ? " asked the gentleman, after he had taken a seat. " The young lady who was injured by being dragged away by the horses is here, sir," answered Orion. "That is the one. Is she much injured ? " " Well yes, sir ; but not dangerously so. Her left arm is broken in three places, and she has received a few bruises beside." " Poor Ellen ! May I see her, dear sir ? " " Perhaps you had better not go in quite yet, sir," re- turned Orion. " The physician is dressing her wounds, and" "Ah I understand. Yes, yes. But my wife may go in?" " Certainly certainly, sir." " Me ? " uttered the lady, starting up from a reverie into which she had fallen while gazing on little Lizzie, who sat in one corner of the room. " Me go into the place where they are dressing wounds ? Would you kill me outright ? " u No, no, Julia I only thought you might be of some help to our poor Ellen." " Isn't there blood running, young sir ? " the woman asked of Orion. " There is, madam," he said. " Oh, how dreadful ! Me go in and see blood ! You should know my delicate constitution better, Mr. Tiver- ton ? " " Never mind, my dear. I wouldn't have you go in by any means, if you think it would hurt you." A CATASTROPHE. 17 " Hurt me ? " echoed the lady, shuddering. " It hurts me to be so near her as I am now. She may groan. Have they set her arm yet, sir ? " " Yes, madam," answered our hero. " And didn't she groan ? " " She was insensible then, and did not probably realize any pain." " But they are dressing bloody wounds now, you say ? " "Yes." " Then she may wake up and groan. Little girl here go in and tell Ellen not to groan if she comes to. Tell her she mustn't. Tell her I am here Mrs. T. Oh ! if she should groan it would shake my poor frame so terribly ! Hurry, little girl." Lizzie cast an inquisitive glance at Orion, and he mo- tioned her to come to him. She did so, and he whispered in her ear that she should run up into the chamber where she slept and stay there until he called her. She had started to go, when Mrs. Tiverton for so Orion knew her name must be called to her, and she moved tremblingly to the lady's side. " Who are you ? " she asked, gazing fixedly into the child's face. The woman looked so sharply and so strangely upon her that Lizzie was at first afraid, but she gradually overcame the difficulty, and would have replied properly had not the former spoken again. " Who are you ? " she asked, eagerly, gazing more earnestly than before into the thin, pale face. At this point Orion spoke, and in a few words told the child's story. " Oh ! oh ! oh ! " uttered Mrs. Tiverton, in a quick scream, at the same time pushing the child from her. " From the Five Points ? Mercy ! You'll give me the plague ! Don't come near me again ! Oh ! " At this juncture a carriage stopped at the gate, and the nervous woman started to her feet. " There is our coach," she said. " Oh, I'm so glad ! Come, Mr. Tiverton, let's get away from here. We will let these people take care of Ellen, and then we can pay them." " We do not keep a hospital here, madam," said Orion, quickly and proudly. 1 8 ORION, THE GOLD BEATER. " But you will allow the poor girl to remain here until she can be removed with safety, sir?" urged the gentle- man, earnestly and beseechingly. " Of course we will, sir," returned the youth, kindly, for he liked the speaker's tone. " I only meant that we do not perform our holy duties for pay ! " " Ah I understand," said Mr. Tiverton ; and then ap- proahing near enough to speak without being heard by his wife, he added : " I will be here this afternoon, if I can walk. Or I will be here at all events. Be careful of Ellen. She is a precious being." Orion gave a whispered assurance ; and then having grasped the youth's hand warmly, Mr. Tiverton turned away and limped from the house with his wife in company, the latter giving utterance to an exclamation of satisfaction as she got clear of the humble roof. CHAPTER III. THE HOME OF THE DYING. ORION stood by the window and watched the departing couple until they had been helped into the coach and driven off. When he turned he found little Lizzie, who had come down from the chamber, standing by his side and gazing wistfully up into his face. " What is it ? " he said, thinking from her look that she wished to say something, and at the same time taking her hand and smiling kindly upon her. " That woman, sir," she uttered, with a tremulous emo- tion : " who is she ? " " Her name is Tiverton, my child." " But she is very rich, isn't she ?" " I think she is." The child bent her head and gazed down upon the floor for some moments, and at length she looked up again, and in a strange, wandering tone, she said : THE HOME OF THE DYING. 19 " She is a very strange woman. How she looked at me ! I was afraid of her. I think I have dreamed about that woman. Don't you think I have ! " Orion smiled at the curious question, but the smile quickly passed away, for there was something remarkable about the circumstance. He remembered how the woman had gazed upon the little one ; and how she had called her to her side ; and then how strangely she had regarded her. And now for the child to hold an impression of having seen the lady before it was curious, to say the very least. How- ever, it might be only some peculiar coincidence of likeness, or something of that kind, and the youth was about to dis- miss the subject from his mind, when Lizzie spoke again. " Do you think she will ever come to see me ! " she asked, with simple earnestness. " Who ? Mrs. Tiverton ? " " Yes, sir." " Of course not. Didn't you see that she was afraid of you ? " Lizzie was for a moment hurt by this remark, but she saw a smile upon Orion's face, and she knew by that that he only spoke pleasantly, and then she said, quite earnestly : " But she needn't have been afraid, for I ain't dirty, nor am I a " " Pooh ! don't think of that, Lizzie. She is a very foolish woman." As he thus spoke the thought struck him that there might be some relationship between the pale child of poverty and the pampered votary of wealth ; but ere he had time to enlarge upon the idea the inner door opened, and his mother entered, the physician following shortly afterwards. " How long before you are going, my son ? " Mrs. Lindell asked. " Well I must go soon, if you can spare me." " I shall get along very well alone. I only wished to see you before your left. You will take the things we put up last night, and see if there is anything else you think of. Do all you can for the poor people." "Be sure of that, my mother. And now how is our guest ? " " The doctor must tell you that, for I dare not be away 20 ORION, THE GOLD BEA TER. long. Go as soon you are ready, and may God bless all your efforts for the poor sufferers." Orion pressed his mother's hand, and having received and returned her kiss, she went back to the bed-room where her patient lay. That was a pledge of affection they never failed to renew whenever they parted for the day. It was a simple token of the great love they bore for each other, and they would have both been unhappy to separate with- out it. Orion had a good mother one of the best on earth ; and few parents were blessed with so noble, and affectionate, and faithful a son. " There is no danger from the wounds," the doctor said, in answer to Orion's question. " No immediate, or direct danger, I mean. I found several severe contusions, and it must be some time ere she can be removed. If there is any danger it must be from the fever which I fear will ensue. However, with care, and with plenty of fresh air, I think she may come safely out from it. She has one of the finest organizations I ever saw, and possesses a con- stitution perfectly free from any kind of disease. She is a fine specimen of the true female development both mentally and physically. She has one of the most nobly balanced brains, and then her frame is firmly and compactly knit, without the least heaviness or masculinity." " How old is she ? " "About nineteen." " Do you know Mr. Tiverton ? " " Tiverton ? " repeated the doctor, " Do you mean the merchant ? " " I don't know. He is wealthy, I should think. He was in the coach with his wife, and they have both been here. They came and waited until another carriage, for which they had sent, came for them. " Ah and they were with the girl who is hurt ? " " Yes. She must be their daughter. Mr. Tiverton would have gone in, only I told him you were engaged in dress- ing her wounds, and he said he would wait. He will come this afternoon." " Was he a tall, handsome man, with a proud, noble look ? " Yes exactly." " Then it must have been Paul Tiverton. He is one of THE HOME OF THE DYING. \l the wealthiest merchants in the city. I visited his wife once. She is a a " " An unfortunate idiot, suffering torture in her own inordinate pride," suggested the youth, with a smile.