Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1006 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

ae gentleman left, taking the box with him, and with renewed thanks to all concerned. Ten minutes afterward the detective and the boy left the restaurant, ** 'W hy didn’t you take the money?” asked Dick, ** You fairly earned it,” ‘*[| didn’ want to be in his pay,” answered Frank, ‘‘I might have to work againsthim. A feller likes to take a job with clean bands,” **A good thought. That man is not our game, but he makes a mighty close likeness to the | Dodger. There’s work in the wind for both of us, my lad,” CHAPTER ITI. THE SHADOW OF FRAUD, FRANK MELTON proved not wrong in bis cal- culations, On the second day after the hotel fire an item crept into the local columns of the newspapers, to the effect that Jacob P. Con- verse, dealer in West India coffees and sugars, was in financial difficulties, through the loss of fifty thousand dollars burned in his room at the great hotel conflagration. Some of the papers expressed sympathy for him, Others said it served him right, What were banks for? Whe man with a grain of wit would keep so much inoney in a hotel? Mr, Converse made no reply to these criti- cisms, But the day afterward his creditors re- ceived notice from him that he was in financial straits, and wished them to meet and consider the situation, These successive steps were keenly observed by the detective and his apprentice, The affair looked straight enough, but Dick Wister was not the man to take looks for facts, and he waited developments with curious interest. The meeting of the creditors was a stormy one. They had examined the store and found it nearly empty of stock. The books showed a large cash balance, Where wasit? Burned up, said Mr, Converse, This explanation was re- ceived with many sbrugs and looks of doubt, ‘** No business man would keep such a sum ina hotel room,” was the plain declaration, ‘ It looks like a set-up job,” ** As you will, gentlemen,” answered Mr. Con- verse, with a haughty air. “It may not be business to make a heavy purchase at a low figure. That is what I was preparing to do, ere is my check-book, You can see that I drew that money from bank the day before the fire, There was a spot-cash chance for a big deal in coffee the next morning, I worked for the best, as any business man would, Chance and ill luck played against me, that’s all.” The creditors looked at one another, This ex- planation bad some reason in it, **What do you propose?” asked the heaviest of them. .** Just this,” was the reply, ‘‘ My business is gone tothe dogs. There’s no use trying to get over this shock. I could not offer ten cents on thedollar. Takeall, gentlemen. I am ready to ve all lam worth into your bands, and start ife as a beggar again,” But we cannot dwell on this scene, That the creditors were angry need not be said, Most of them had strong doubts of the loss of the money in the hotel fire; but how were they to prove this? He had offered them all the property they could find, But how much was there they d not find? Mr. Converse seemed to be greatly concerned for their losses. Heshowed them the box which had been saved from the fire, “We are all losers by that dreadful confla- tion,” he said, feelingly. ‘*‘ Many lost their ves; others their money. You and I lost our money. This is all I saved—through the aid of a brave boy. The very clothes I haveon were loaned me by a friend, I should like you to exumine these papers,” The papers proved to be both innocent and useless, If there had been anything of doubt or value in the box, it had been carefully weeded out. The meeting broke up at length, the creditors i in a very unsatisfied state of mind. wo days afterward the ays oe losers by the failure were privately called together again; this time at the request of Richard Wisicr, de- ve. **Gentlemen, I have asked you to meet me on a matter of someimportance,” began Dick. The persons to whom he spoke were the three leading creditors, assembled in the private office of Brown & Borden. “I wish your word that what is said here shall go no further,” ** You can trust us in that, Mr, Wister.” **I would ask then—what is your opinion of -the Converse failure?” Flipper Frank’s Flush. Fe ‘** It is my full belief that there is fraud behind it,” answered Mr. Borden, ‘* But bow are we to prove it? This unlucky hotel fire puts us ina hole, He can say what he chooses. The ashes yield no evidence to the contrary.” ‘There may be more evidence than you imagine,” was Dick’sreply. ‘‘ This young man was in Mr, Converse’s room after he left it.” He pointed to Frank, who was demurely seat- ed behind him, ‘*Gentlemen, I have your word tor secrecy.— There was more brought out of that fire than the box that has been shown you.” The creditors started sharply at this, and fixed their eyes on Frank with looks of intense curios ity and expectation, ** Does Converse know of this?” asked Mr, Borden ‘*No, There is one way to deal with honest men and another with rogues, This man mry belong to the former class, buv it’s my fancy tiv belongs to the latter. Detective Frank—that’s the boy here—has had his eye-teeth cut and knows a thing or two. Converse told you, did he not, that the money was tied up ina paper package?” “é Yes,” The creditors were now in a state of eager ex- pectation, ‘* Here is the package, You may see for your- selves how many thousands are in it.” He Jaid the package which Frank had brought him on the table before them, opened it, and re- vealed its contents, ‘Gentlemen, if you can find any bank-notes there, you will be more lucky than I have been, You may read these letters if you wish,” They gazed blankly at the package, ‘** Are we to understand that this came out of Converse’s room?” ** You can bet your bottom nickel on that!” averred Frank, now first speaking. ‘* What are these letters?” “Read them, You will not gain much from them except that Jacob P. Converse is a rogue, and is in a plot with some other rogue out West, Gentlemen, you bave been victimized.” Mr, Borden snatched up several of the letters and began eagerly to read them, The others followed hig example, At the end some words in a low tone passed between them, ‘We agree with you,’ said Mr, Borden, at length, ‘* Ws have been victimized. Converse must be arrested at once,” ‘** What for?” asked Dick, coolly. “To make him disgorge,” ** And do you fancy you will ever see a penny of that money if you take such action; or if even you let him see that he is suspected? You are not dealing with a beginner in fraud, my dear sirs,” ** What are we to do, then? Shall we try and lay our bands on this Wilson?” ** That might be wiser, But, how will you do 54 99) mat How?” They looked at one another with questioning eyes. ‘‘ That is more in your line than in ours, Mr. Wister,” ** Now you are ing to see ag ahead,” answered Dick. ‘' But to seize Wilson would dono good, The fact is, these men are working some deep game together, and your money is to be used as their capital in crime, If you want to recover your losses their game must be unearthed, and the pair of them caught in the act.” Mr. Borden nodded approvingly. “That is detective work, Mr, Wister. It isin your line, not in ours.” ‘You are right there, And it is no every- day detective work,” responded Dick. ‘* Well; what is your idea?” asked the mer- chant, “It is this, in a nutshell,” answered Dick. “It takes money to make money. We have a romising lead before us, but it will need funds to work it. I don’t know how d you are involved in the Converse business, ‘T'wenty or thirty thousand likely. Well, are you willing to venture a couple of thousand to recover it! Or to pay the expenses of the job, and a thou- sand for fee?” The three merchants looked at him with a sense of momentary alarm, Were they being asked to throw good money after bad? Then hey looked at one another. Now some words passed in a low tone. Finally Mr. Borden turned to Dick and said: ‘*What you say bas reason in it, Mr. Wister. It looks hopeful, too. Yet it isa deep game, as you remark, and may very easily fail. Mr. Thompson thinks we had best shoulder our —_—_—_—_—_—_————— ee ET, TT present losses and stop there. I don’t. If Con- verse is the rogue he seems, I would be will- ing to lose something more to bring him to justice, Let us have time to consider this, ou shall have our answer to-morrow,” ** Meanwhile, not a word,” warned Dick, ‘Should a whisper get abroad it might spoil our whole game.” ** You may trust ns, sir.” ** To-morrow be it then. Frank,” ‘By the way, don’t this boy want a situa- tion?” asked one of the merchants. ‘‘I could make a good place for a boy of his caliber.” ** Much obliged,” answered Frank, ‘‘ but I’ve got the job now I’m best built for. You'll hear of Detective Frank some of these days. I wouldn’t give up this Jay for the best sit in New York,” And holding his head up proudly, Frank fol- lowed his employer into the street. Dick turned to him as they walked along, There was a smile on his face. “They bite,” he said, ‘'There’s work ahead for us,” ** That’s my notion,” answered Frank. ‘“*T would bave given a new dollarif I could have seen the inside of that box before Converse had a chance to handle the papers. I doubt if he showed them all to the creditors.” ** Maybe nou,” chimed in Frank. ** But there’s no use taking trouble about that, The past is past. The future isoura, You must keep ready, youngster, to make a big jump ata moment’s notice,’ ‘“*What’s in the wind now?’ asked Frank, curiously, **Converse will not stay long in New York. He will wait for some kind of a release from his creditors, which they can’t help giving him if he hands them over all his possessions, He will not leave here till he can leave his record clean bebind him, That done—he has business else- where,” ** That’s about the size of it,” ** Now, Frank, I’m going to put a big trust in you. It is impossible for me to leave New York es at present. I have other irons in the fire. might employ some other detective, but I don’t want to divide the spoils, Will I be safe in trusting you to trail this man till I get my hands free?’ ‘*That’s for you to say,” answered Frank. ** You know me as well as I do myself. I'll do my best.” ‘Well spoken, boy!” and Dick clapped him heartily on the shoulder. “ Vl trust you, my young pard, I have my eye on Converse, and will know when he is ready to start West. Then you must take the trail, and as you value life, honor, and profit, don’t let bim esca ou. Whether he goes to Chicago, St, Louis, New Orleans, no matter where, don’t let him out of your sight,” ‘* Suppose he sees me?” suggested Frank. **He saw me at Tummy Brown’s, He might twig the cut of my jib.” ‘True. You must be disguised. We will have an answer from those merchants to-morrow —a favorable one, I’m sure, Then, with money enough for traveling expenses, you must be. ready to go at the word.” “* That’s me; or at the wink,” answered Frank.,. ** Pll be there, you bet.” Good-day. Come, CHAPTER IV, A RUSH THROUGH SPACE, ' THROUGH the busy bustle of passengers at the Grand Central Railroad Station pushed a stout form—that of the gentleman whom we already know as Jacob P. Converse. At some distance behind, and watching his movements intently, were two others; one ose senting the spare frame and alert face of Dick Wister; the other undoubtedly that of Frank Melton, though greatly changed from his usual a ce. rank’s usual negligent apparel, of cheap ma- terial and careless fit. had ss suit of fine cloth, closely fitting, while the 3 ished cuffs at his wrists, with their gold-linked sleeve-buttons, bis neat collar and tie—with its glittering pin, the watch-chain that extended across his vest, and the other details of his attire, seemed to the well-cared-for son of a wealthy sire. His face bad changed with his dress. The fea- tures were the same, but the expression was dif- ferent. The rollicking heedlessness, alternating with ferret-like sharpness, of Frank’s usual coun- tenance, were replaced by a look of modest quiet and lack of assurance that transformed the whole face, No one who had seen the Frank of yes- eGomic 900 TN a eee : ' +. f , > t r ee ¥,"