Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 1004 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

Scorcher Sam’s Sweep-Stakes. across. If there is any doubt; that will setile it: put, how can there be any doubt? The man I saw was surely Louis Mur- rill,” “You did not see the mark on his " throat? ” : ““No, but I saw his face.” “That is not enough, in view of what I have just told you. It is more than lucky that I prevented your killing him, Cactus Bill.” ‘“‘T had no intention of killing him, as I said,” was the response. “ You know _ what kind of a marksman I am; I would have put a bullet where it would have stopped him merely.” “And perhaps wounded an innocent man. I could not allow that, even did I know your intention and the chance were to happen again. But, go slow! - Next time you may get the other fellow, and it is certain that both cannot be Murrill.” “Can you tell them apart, if you see them again?’’ asked the showman. “Yes, I can tell the one I am most familiar with, or the other if he is in the Same attire.” “Do they look so very much alike?” asked the young woman. “Strikingly “so; and yet were we to see their faces side by side we could no, doubt find great differences.’ “Then we shall be uncertain, next * time, if we fall in with him again, wheth- er it is Murrill or not, brother. Oh! that you had not interfered, sir! You do not know—”’ “Ts the man guilty of ' Seorcher Sam inquired. “Yes, yes! a monstrous crime.” | “And you have not reported it to the police? I will make it my business to | take him if I can run across him again.” | “No, we have not told the police, sir; in fact, it is not a recent crime, and it is our own private affair, anyhow. Oh! that you had not interfered. I have waited so long, so long!” While this was being said, others were shouting out the merits of the show, and some people were entering the . tent. There would soon be enough to pay. for another performance, and the young W0- “man left her brother and disappeared around the tent. | Scorcher Sam gazed after her. with something of admiration, perhaps, for she was petite and graceful. . Cactus Bill saw the look. _ As Sam looked again at him, there was id Fr; dark expression on the Western sport’s ace. ai “It was honest aliniitation, ” observed Ny Sam, in his frank manner. “A man has a right to admire what he sees, if it awakens admiration. You can take no offense.” “No, no offense,” returned the sport. “Her young heart has been seared, and » there remains nothing for her but death, ae I fear.” “Death? And so. young.” | “The young die as well as the old. , Rose ‘do not see my sister as she was. Had “4 known her before—before her sor- v came upon her, you would hardly Cognize her now. You would see, as I "Son that the seal is upon her.” | *I am uot willin~ to believe that, Cac- oP. s Bill. The wrong may yet be righted; . @¥hen she will regain her spirits and be tase ta she was.” pe “Impossible! You do not understand, f iis _ & “No, I do not understand, nor do I ask 6 M your confidence. At the same time I ton Ohave a detective’s curiosity.” : eh oY. “And you mean Bee Bratity. it if you a erime?” —-— ~ “> 7 -and almost despairingly. a we get the right party. caliber, “Well, to do that you must find Mur- | off to perfection, being at once modest rill.” “Of course; that is something I hope to accomplish.” “Then there is a favor I would ask. If you do find him, put me on his track. Come, is it a bargain?” “On condition that you pledge me your word that you will not kill him.” “Very well; I give my word that I will not kill him.” “Then it is a bargain. I will try to bring you and him together, if I can get | sight of him. Can you give me any clew toward finding him?” “Not the slightest.’’ | “Yet you hoped to find him here in |New York?” “Yes; my sister has looked diligently, lt is hard for her to bear, to have seen the man and know that he has escaped her.” ‘““And on your part, you promise to go slow if you fall in with him first, lest you get hold of the wrong man? This is evidently a case that Will be difficult to settle.” “ The settling will be easy enough, once But I promise all that you ask. You are a detective, and if your skill is anything like your grip, you are a good one. You held me as if I had been a mere boy “Pshaw! I had the advantage of you, that Was ali,” Sam passed it off, though he knew well enough what his strength was. “ Well, I must be going, for I have an appointment to keep. I'll run up and see you again before long, for you may be of some use to me, now that we are acquainted.” CHAPTER. VIIL. ; A DISMAL DUNCE. DUPED. Scorcher Sam went away in a strange frame of mind. — Here was one of the most peculiar bits of mystery that had ever come his way. ‘Whether there was even a case in it was yet in doubt, though he fully be- lieved there was, and one of no ordinary at that. | Leading his wheel out into the street, he looked up and down the thoroughfare as if for some person whom he expected about that hour, but whom he Sbycg as yet to discover. Mounting, he pedaled slowly PT Se in the direction of the tower. The recognition of Dona Teresa (such was the young woman’s name on the show posters) of the man Louis Murrill- had been so positive as hardly to admit of a doubt; but there was the peculiar resemblance Phil Dixon held to that man; and more, the impression the men- tion of the matter had seemed to have upon him. It appeared almost positive that he and Murrill must be related close- ly, and Sam believed they were brothers. That was one point to be settled, if he had the good fortune to fall in Bilis either of them again. He went along at low speed, Presently his face lighted; he evidently Saw the person whose appearance he had been expecting. : It was a young woman, jauntily — ate. tired and mounted ona fine wheel, com- ing toward him. He was on the point of turning to join her, when. she gave him a sign. “ Not wanted, eh?” said Sam to him- self. ‘ What’s in the wind, my Bonny Bessie Blake?” She it was, the dauntless little bou- levard detective, Scorcher Sam's ally. | As she came nearer, ‘she looked irre- but chic. Heeding her signal, Sam passed her without appearing to reepgnize her, though their eyes met and he gave her a wink. ‘No flirting,’ she ‘said, just loudly enough for him -to hear. ‘See. what is coming after me; I have’ got one of the roughs on my siring, I guess; you da the rest.’ There was no time for Sam to respond in words, without speaking louder than would have been. desirable. So he passed on and looked to see what was following. And he saw. Right here a few words of explanation will not be out of place; in order to a clear understanding. . Complaints had been received from that neighborhood concerning a gang of roughs, who, if they did not belong there, had been infesting that . neighborhood with their presence, Their offenses'need not all be partic- ularized, but they were of such, a nai- ure that the attention’ofrthe police com- missioners had been called to them more than once, and they ‘had instructed the police eaptain of the precinct. in regard to the matter. 1 | “4 Not only that, but they had sent Scorcher Sam there to look into affairs, a little on the ‘quiet. One of the offenders was called. Don Quixote. He was so called because it seemed ap- parent that he had entered upon a con- though in his ease it was a con- | quest, quest of hearts, * Don Quixote on Wheels ” he .-was more fully termed, while, the name hay- ing been given the Spanish’ pronuncia- tion in the first instance, he was now known to the police as * Donkey Hota.” And the Scorcher: believed | that, this was the chap. He had never seen him before, but the | description seemed to fit closely, | He was togged out fetchingly—if a lit- tle polite slang be admissible—in bright tan slippers, red-checkered hose, light: suit of diagonal plaid of very shinee ‘a: pattern, and cap to match. Not only so, but his left lapel supnonts ed a gorgeous flower, and an eyeglass was screwed into one, eye. stunner, looked at from his own point of view, and Scorcher Sam felt certain thas he was the “ Donkey Hota” he had heard about. There were other wheelmen ‘in sight,: but he singled this one out at once as the fellow Bessie Blake had referred to. | He allowed him to come on and pass.. “ That is the chap, ten to one on it,” Sam said to himself. ‘And I am after him, too. We'll see how he will Tae it < with Bonny Bess.”.. _ The detective laughed to himself as he: turned his wheel and fell in behind’ the masher, for he knew there was a surprise in store for the chappie when he at-— tempted to pick up the acquaintance with Bessie Blake. roliy Needless to say, she had pth out pur~_ posely to lure the conceited idiot into Sam’s net. Bessie rode straight on, paying no gen > whatever to the fellow, who was slowly — gaining upon her, and after him rode — Scorcher Sam on his spécial mount, the swiftest wheel in New York. «©» Finally, in front of the Isabella ‘Hei- math, at the top of the hill, Bessie Blake i. drew in to the sidewalk and. stopped by © He was. a. ® es RA a es. & e* - Ae" ey, < — vis — = he arte 4st od " — ted : 7 oe Wa 5 —— the wall that incloses the grounds of — Sy can?” bey sistably bewitching. - that institutio 2 Be ag ee a | Be n, stepping from her Tat Bit ‘Certainly. Seagal: d= An excellent vider, her costume set her Winget: om: the CHER ARE with aan sie ‘ —t, ¥ ta GS * ae bent a » ols wy . s . " : nd — >< . q . 1 . . ; : ie Hy * a7, an ia A ; ¥ ot. ‘ : : * . ‘3 ‘ : ‘ ; ~ ‘> a - ri * ‘ oat * “J gh .e% . . P se J fi : r Qo . Te» Paty Ue 4. 3 _ i " +. a % ; % Tate s 4,' wit Se re Bese aa Ma 1 Se 4 5 _* hehe he une Ie: ry ey - oR .. ny che As Pole ” ~¥ ae. BS ' . ‘nt . 4 bs rig! ve r% on ; iS 3 ba! a Ae epee SSIES Peleus ® elk Fe Racy e <4