New Nick Carter Weekly, No. 39 — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

letters contain business propositions.’ -_ have sent out,’ he readily replied. contained nothing but a counter, a table, a desk, and two chairs, and a uumber of blank account books. ‘* *1’ll get you an outfit of stationery and fancy articles,’ he said, ‘and that will save you the annoyance of answering questions as to your business. You may not sell a dime’s worth in a week, but that does not matter, for your real busi- ness will be to receive letters while I am away.’ ‘““*What are the letters about?’ I asked, my curiosity in regard to his busi- ness being at last aroused. “They are answers to circulars I ‘I am agent fora great many patents, the *‘T was satisfied with this explanation, - and the next day I entered upon the dis- _ charge of my duties. ‘*I did not sell much stationery, but I _ did receive a great many letters and tele- grams, more of the latterthan the former. — - tions of the country, and I: never knew ‘*Rvery night either Lafarge or Duke Abbey, who had been introduced to me _as the villain’s agent, would come to the "ce, open the letters, and then consult _ a large journal which was kept locked in a drawer of the desk. ese telegrams came from all sec- what any of them contained until one day - after Thad been in the office about two ot. be weeks I picked up one from the floor, where - ithad dropped unnoticed by Lafarge. ae a: eel could not resist the temptation to ae Pe «Tt was from a party way off in Kan- ‘ —m “*i- * = 7 a Sas h, aad said only: ’ oa ; . ~? z 7 r- | ‘i. e ae ~ a _ : * : .@ i ‘ ~— s < Y ? ' ,* . ae’ re * 4 r ee: ription ‘or 1892.” = Patel ‘* «Please renew my 6 wh. t did it mean? yaper Or MmMaga~- an agent for the evening I handed it to him without a word of explanation. ‘“He instantly exclaimed: ‘*So you are onto the snap, are you? Well, Iam glad of it, for if there’s any- thing I hate it’s secrecy among friends.’ ‘‘It was on my lips to say, ‘What do you mean?’ but I refrained, for my wits were sharpening under the experience I was undergoing. ‘Instead of asking simply said: ““T think you might have told me all at once.’ ‘‘He laughed heartily, for he thought I could be trusted. ‘* *T tell you what, Viele: —he had never been so familiar before—‘we’ll make the strongest team in the country now that you’ve got your eye-teeth cut. Iam pretty good at hauling in suckers myself, but you, with your pretty face and your demure expression, ought to double discount me at the game, and give me points besides,’ ‘‘T was now determined to know what disreputable business he was engaged in, in order that I might have him punished. | ‘“He had lied to me—his admissions told me that—and he had never intended that I should go on the stage. — ‘The scales were rapidly falling from my eyes. s ‘Iwas beginning to see some ofthe wickedness that my guilelessness and in-. experience had hitherto concealed from — me. ‘¢ “Are you going to tell meaboutthe — snap?’ I asked, when his fit of laughter had ceased. ie os (6 6 Weg ? ~ “And thereupon he entered into a full explandtion of one phase of the green-— goods swindle with which you are aaliess less familiar. 1. a a ae ‘The circulars sent out by Lafarge c Beg : 3 such a question, I c ~~ Ps *,, ag i vv. LS