Livingston Robert Shewell

“ Did you not know that you were coming to your sweetheart, and that he would care for you?”
“Aye, dear heart, I know,” sobbed the girl, “but I had to lie to my father, and I love him so dearly, Victor.”
“I know that, dearest, but we are going to tell him just as soon as we are married. I cannot wait any longer.”
Oh, Annie Benson, beloved of your father, had you only told your handsome lover that you [16] would rather wait until your parent had given his consent, how much better your life would have been, but, woman-like, you could not refuse the man you love. ”

“ Nellie turned quickly to Biddy.
“Oh, Biddy, who is going to have me? I want to stay with you and Tom.”
She dropped upon a chair, and Tom Cooper regained his voice.
“God forbid, my darling,” cried he, “that you should ever be with any one in the world but your own Tom and Biddy. No, little Helen Standish, you have no relatives to whom Biddy and I will ever give you. You belong alone to us.”
“Oh, I am so glad—oh, so happy,” and the girl [119] rubbed her face against the whiskers without which she had never known her Tom. ”

“ Gloom seemed to settle over the childish hearts in the home as both boys vied with each other for most of Annie’s attention, and Tom won out, for the little girl could not forget that George had taken money from her dear father, and the lad pondered long over his cousin’s changed attitude.
[13]
The children all went away to school, the millionaire thinking it best to keep his girl from the two boys, who might captivate her childish heart, but little he thought that his ambitions for her would be dashed to the ground by one wave of the tiny white hand. ”

“ Into the boat tumbled Tom, and he took the child from his companion’s arms.
“It’s a girl, ain’t it, Jim?” he asked as he placed it upon the seat still sleeping.
“Yep.”
“How old?”
“I’ll be blest if I know. My memory ain’t no good, even as far as my kid goes. But I wasn’t going to leave it behind.”
“I admire you for taking her,” said Tom as he whirled the boat into the dark night, and the shadows of the prison walls dropped into the longer one of the night, and the boys were well upon their way to freedom. ”

“ A girl needs a mother, Biddy.”
“Aye, so they do, and I thank heaven it was given to me to be one to you, my sweety.”
“And you have been more than that to me,” whispered the girl.
“Oh, Biddy, if I only had my Tom now, I would be the happiest girl in the world.”
“Then why don’t you go and see a good lawyer, and maybe he will help you to get him out?”
“I don’t know who to go to.”
“And I wouldn’t ask Mr. Benson either,” said Biddy with a curious wink of her eye. “You remember what Mr. Tom said, don’t you?” ”

“ As Arkwright was placing the hat upon the rearrested convict, Tom turned to Jim:
“I suppose you did not tell your aunt about this affair?”
“Yes, I did, sir, and because I told on you and the girl, I got scot free, sir.”
“Scat,” cried Bridget, “or I’ll pull your scraggy hair out of your little impudent head, you dirty spalpeen.”
“Well,” said Nellie, taking Tom’s hand in hers as he was being taken away, “I wish you all to understand that here stands a girl whom you say is worth a million dollars. There stands a man whom I love. ”

“ But he was years older than Nellie, and there were so many finer-looking fellows in the city. Then, too, there was that stain upon his name which he could not erase unless he could find the man who stole the jewels and placed them in his bundle, and that was so long ago that there was no possible chance.
Just as they were talking they heard a girlish laugh. Nellie had gone out in her own little boat, which Biddy had given her, and was returning for supper.
NELLIE
Her happy laughter could always be heard before the girl came in sight. ”

“ The little Standish child was no more than a baby when she was first brought to the boathouse, but upon this beautiful summer morning when this story again opens she is sitting upon a porch swinging in the hammock.
Biddy had arranged the house so that now it comfortably held three, and Tom had a good position and came home every night. Often after the child went to bed the man and woman would gravely talk over the future of the little girl, whom they had both grown to love. ”

“ There was a quiet marriage between a man and a very pretty woman. The minister kissed the charming little bride and wished her many happy years. But Nellie noticed that he looked curiously at the bridegroom’s closely-shaven head. Of course, Tom would not wait for his happiness. He persuaded Nellie that the sooner they were married the better. All that the girl wanted before her marriage was to see the two men who had tried to ruin her life, dealt with according to law and then she consented to get married. ”

“ Impatiently George Benson sat down, for he had not patience with this imbecile old man.
“I would not waste my energy upon the ungrateful girl,” said he, “for she does not seem to care, or why should she not answer your letters? It is shameful for a daughter to be so undutiful.”
There was something in the young man’s tone that caused the millionaire to look keenly at him.
Then he closed his lips upon the words that were about to fall. He was upon the point of confiding how Tom was going after Annie, but the rich man noticed a glitter in the blue eyes, and he said nothing. ”

“ After this it was smooth sailing for George Benson. Tom out of the way, and his cousin not to be found, and his uncle sick in bed afflicted with paralysis.
What more could a man want than a fortune at his fingers’ end, and nothing in the way but an old man, with one foot in the grave, and the doctor gave but little hope of his living long. ”

“ Well, his time is short in this mansion.”
He stole away, and Tom, with an affectionate embrace, left his uncle.
For a long time the old man sat and dreamed, dreamed of a woman, sweet, in the long ago days when he was young and she was beautiful, dreamed of that time when a little child, with light golden hair, had been born to them, and of their happiness and joy. ”

“ He did not find the girl in when he reached the boathouse. Biddy was making biscuits and singing.
“You are as happy as I am, Biddy,” said the man as he put down his oars upon the dock, and came into the house.
“Of course I’m happy,” replied the woman, “and why should I not be? Why, Tom, have any two people any more reason to be happier than we are? Think of it, Nellie loves us both, and we are saving money by the quart, and our darling is a lady.” ”

“ What makes you look so grave? Oh,” and the girl did not wait for the man’s answer, “I have had such a daring time. Where do you think I’ve been, way down to Hell Gate, and almost went into the rapids.”
[111]
By this time she had placed her oars into the boat and clasped the chain firmly in its staple.
The man’s face grew white as he heard these words.
“My heavens, Nellie, you must not go to such dangerous parts of the river. You might have been killed.”
“Would you have cared very much, Tom?” said Nellie, stopping and holding her hands out; “I want my dear ones to care very much.” ”

“ The lawyer went out with the firm conviction that this young man, with his handsome eyes, knew more about this plot of the diamond theft than he cared to admit.
George Benson threw himself out of the room with an impatient gesture.
“I’ll be glad when the old man is dead,” muttered he as he swung off up the avenue, “for he has such a set of inquisitors about him that they drive me out of my senses.”
[72]
When poor Annie staggered out of the pawnshop with her pretty bauble in her fingers she ran into another woman hurrying along. ”

“ Just as they were talking in a low tone the warden ushered in a woman.
“If it ain’t Biddy Roan, me cousin,” said Jim, trying to hide his head. “I don’t want her to see me,” but see him she did, and the good Irishwoman had to go over the whole death scene of the poor mother of Jim, who had died since he came to the prison.
“Now then, Jim,” said she, “if you ever get out and want to be a good fellow, you just come to my place of business. ”

“ I don’t want a lady of any different rank than myself, and Biddy is my choice. So there.”
Tom smiled at her from his corner, and the sight made Benson furious.
Again the two gentlemen conferred, while Nathans took it upon himself to argue with the girl.
“Look a-here, Mr. Jew,” cried Nellie, “you just mind your business. No one has asked you to live with my Biddy, and Mr. Benson needn’t live with us either. If I have all the money you say I have then I can make a home for Biddy and me until I can get my Tom out.” ”

“ It amused Nellie to hear Biddy call Tom a child, for he was many years her own senior, and there could not be over a few years between her lover and Biddy.
“We’ll go to bed as soon as the sun goes down,” laughed Tom.
In fact it was dark, but Biddy had always had the habit of going to bed so early and getting up at an unusual hour that Tom was always making sport of her.
“I wanted to ask you something, Tom,” said Nellie, after Biddy’s door was tightly closed. “What makes you wear those long whiskers? Most men shave them off, don’t they?” ”

“ Nellie Standish, too brave for her own good, was ready to make a strike for her lover.
“You have confessed your crime, and here goes for calling the police.”
She pressed the electric button, but instantly the Jew had her in his arms and had crushed her into the vault and shut the door upon her. Her stifled cry did not reach the ear of anyone.
“Now,” said Nathans, “there is but one thing left. Go to the top of the house. Get the girl’s jewels, and then burn the house about her ears, [184] and no one will ever discover her loss, but will think that she perished in the flames.” ”

“ While the papers did not give her name, a small account of the dreadful woman, with her child at her side, and found drunk in the streets, gave a slight vision of some of the other half in New York of whom so little is known by those living in luxury.
But the description of the child and the woman and especially the trinket found in the woman’s fingers, which it was supposed she had stolen, made George seek Nathans.
“I believe that this woman is that Annie Standish,” cried he, “and you must find out. I believe the old man is on his last legs. He will have no opportunity to see his daughter. ”

“ When Biddy Roan was with Annie Standish upstairs there was a pathetic scene. The sick [85] woman had heard the news of her father’s death. “Biddy,” she said plaintively, “I know that I shall not live until the morrow. Now, there are none of my people who care a cent for me or the child, and I want you to promise me that you will take my Helen, remember her name is Helen Standish, and take her with you.”
“Now, now, honey,” soothed the Irishwoman, “you need not be so worrit over this child, nor over yourself, for I am a-thinking that you’se is a-going to get well. ”

“ But, saying nothing, she ran quickly upstairs and threw herself into Biddy’s arms.
“Oh, my, Biddy, that man drives me crazy. He is always bringing to my mind that I cannot have Tom for so many years; grow fond of him, never, even if he is my own cousin.”
The decision that she would see a lawyer on her own account made her restless until one afternoon she ordered the carriage and drove down Broadway. ”

“ Jim Farren was of under size, with a brutal-looking face. After the Jew had gone the escaped convict looked his question and Benson said suddenly:
“Don’t you think you’ve a good nerve to come here and ask to get a certain sum of money you did not earn? If you had not interfered with our arrangements fifteen years ago and helped that sailor to escape you would have been all right now. He would still have been serving a sentence and the girl would be dead. You had better go away.”
“I’ve been seeing my Cousin Biddy,” said the man, thinking to gain time. ”

“ Biddy laughed softly.
[104]
“Oh, arrah,” said she with a sigh, “if the girl ain’t in love with that Tom, false whiskers and all. I wish she could see the beauty of his face without them, and she would fall in love with him all over again. Biddy Roan, if you weren’t everything that’s homely in the world you might take a turn at love yourself.”
She ironed vigorously, and then went to the porch again in answer to Helen’s call.
“I say, auntie,” said the girl, “how is Tom my cousin, on my mother’s side or my father’s?” ”

“ Then he sent for his nephew after his valet had put him in bed, and said:
“If Tom Cooper comes here, he is to be refused admittance; also notify the bank that he is to be discharged.”
After George Benson heard this he went down stairs, and with a malicious smile upon his face wrote the letter, and as he dropped it in the mail box, he said to himself:
“So you will find the girl, will you, Tom Cooper? We will soon see what your future will amount to.” ”

“ The girl ceased her laughing and came forward.
“Well, I don’t care, George Benson; Tom’s as good as you are any day. That’s what he is.”
“Nobody said he wasn’t,” contemptuously replied the lad, “but he can’t fight.”
Tom was watching George out of the corner of his eye, trying to determine whether it would be well to go at it again, when the girl spoke:
“Never you mind, Tommy; you come with me, and I’ll ask papa for twenty-five cents, and then we will go to the candy store.”
The boy addressed as George Benson followed Tom and the girl. ”

“ As they were driving home through the cool night air, Nellie was resting in the arms of her lover and husband, and he whispered softly: “Beloved, if it had not been for you, I should still have been in prison. But, thanks to my dear sweetheart, I have her now for a dear little wife.”
Slowly they drove along toward home, and suddenly [188] Helen looked up with a shudder, which was immediately followed by a smile.
“Tom, dear,” murmured she, “if there ever was a man who deserved a good home and wife, it is you, for all your life you have been shrouded by ‘The Shadows of a Great City.’”
THE END. ”