Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1006 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

by “7 » ety ¥ : “7 ne x Ay P a7 9 AY the *.~ , Sts AA _ = a Ate mer > ae a) eee es tS, es . / 9 ~ : 4 ty: ee » <*> fj ; =) = + te f , t Wl \ wee. : -@ aj e ry ; yo ve ‘ ee ¥ mS ° _* : . : t- 4 aes oad ° . — +> .. =H : ° 4, Mel <n : ova os BE. =, 4s * ’ 2 Bikes ate ee i. at 7 —— oe, would have recognized the Frank of to- In fact, this modest expression was no easy matter for the boy to maintain. Some show of the old impudence, some of the old keen flash of the eyes would come back, despite his efforts to ‘sustain his new character. But he had only the eyes of the man in ad- vance to deceive, and he could look as he pleased when out of his range of vision. In one hand Frank grasped a new and hand- some grip-sack; in the other be held a fashion- ablecane. Hemight have been a college student returning home fora holiday, ora well-kept home yout on his way to see the world abroad, ** Now, boy, you have only your own wits to lean on,” said Dick, as they moved forward through the crowd. ‘‘ Wide-awake’s the word from thison, Heis off, and you on his trail, and you wiil not have me to fall back on in diffi- culties,” ‘* Bless your heart, I will then,” answered Frank. ‘Ill be no further off from you in Chi- cago or San Francisco than I would be in Har- jem or Brooklyn, I’m going to make the tele- graph talk, whenever I get in a hole; and | want you to talk square back.” “‘ Tl] not be long in answering; that you can trust to, Stay; he isat the ticket-office. Wait here,” Dick slipped through the throng in an easy, gliding fashion of bis own, and in less than a minute was beside the railing behind which the ticket-buyers were moving in slow procession. Mr. Converse had just reached the window, ‘Through; for Buffalo,” ho said. With a quick movement, the agent threw out a ticket, took his money, and handed him the change; then turned alertly to the next, while Converse passed on. ‘*For Buffalo, eh?” thought Dick, as he took his place in the lins, “Is that a blind, or is it business? 1 would give something if I could fol- low up this lay myself; but it will have to be left to Frank’s wit and judgment,” In a minute more he, too, had bought a through ticket for Buffalo, With this hesought Frank, who bad remained well in the back- ‘‘Here is your ticket,” he said. ‘‘ Buffalo seems to be his first stop, This train will only stop at the leading stations, and there you can keep an eye on the platforms—though it’s my notion that he’s bound much further West. Your real work begins when you reaci Buffalo. I dor’t think you need further instructions.” ~ “Not much,” answered Frank. ‘* You've crowded me full already. Any more will drive the old lot out, There’s only one thing I’m trusting to. ‘Keep youreyes open, your mouth sbut, and your face out of sight, and look out aS eg chances,’ That’s what I’m going to 0. _ ground, Dick looked on the alert face of the lad with some admiration, **T don’t know any man I’d rather trust,” he remarked, ‘‘There’s only one thing more: If you run out of money wire for it at once. You have enough to carry you for several months, but something might happen, Those creditors have acted bandsomely, and are ready to see us through.” ‘* And I’m going through, if it’s in the wood,” rejoined Frank resolutely. ‘‘ There -the open, Good-by, old man, and don’t forget Frank!” | ‘‘ Good-by, Frank, and good-luck,” Dick pressed his hand with the fervor of affec- tion—for he had a very soft place in his heart for the bright boy; and stood watching his trim form as he passed through the gate a few steps bebind Converse, and moved steadily forward, J] doubt ifa boy of his age ever had sucha big job laid out for him before,” said the detec- tive to himself, “Tt is risky to trust so much to such a young- ster, I ought to go myself—if I could. And yet Frank is as keen &s a razor, and has had no small experience, I think he’ll make a good record.” ; The detective turned away, and slowly thread- ed his way back toward the street, his mind still - filled with clinging doubts, He bai reason for them, for the boy who had ate’s ce just set cut on his difficult mission was destined to have no light and easy task, in dealing the ae rogue whom he had been set to watch. By the time Dick Wister had reached the door of the station, the train containing the fugitive - nd his youthful pursuer was rolling away on se -Rning of its long journey. In what part of the train Converse was Frank is did not t Po “> —-* with | } ouble himself to discover. He had‘ was soon evi * “*< a \ —— ee ee od > —i ai 4 : an etal 9 : . _ Ys r ~~ —, . one . “~ ps . + - ” - + , » 4 ~ a. ~ a rs 7 < ad ~ SIO SYS appa ae eT ae Lae —— rales | e - SE a oe CLF Oras UPR Oe eae ~ Sn > cabal a ~ > 6 Pee -- ~ > wr - Flipper Frank’s Flush. taken good care to see that he was on the train, and had not left it again, and that was all he cared for just now-—other thau to keep his face from the man’s eyes, How sharp a man Converse was bis pursuer had no means of knowing, but if he should recog- nize him as the boy whu had saved his box of papers from the burning building it might rcuse suspicion in his mind, or otherwise stand in the way of success, so that caution was necessary. Frank, meanwhile, set himself to enjoying his journey. He bad never before been far away from the streets of New York, and was in ardent hope of much pleasure and profit from the long route before him. He would certainly come back with a wide addition to his knowledge of the world, and much food for future thought, Away they went, mile after mile speeding backward under tbe engine’s rattling wheels. The day was a fine one for travel, the sun not blindingly bright, yet well lighting up the plains and valleys through which sped the train, and gilding silver the spires of distant villages, each of which was visible for a few minutes as the train dashed swiftly onward. Here green rolling hills, and there fertile val- leys; bere & well-farmed country, there broad pasture-fields; here the glint of river-waters, there the dark shadows of thick clustering wood- land:—ail was new to the young traveler, and all full of enjoyment for his unsated eyes. Through village after village, through towns of more pretension, they dashed without stop- ping, groups of loungers on the platforms look- ing with a mild interest at the flying train, strect after street opening outand running away in far perspective—only to vanish again after a second’s glance, houses chasing eaca other like the moving figures in & panorama, Here and there, at the important cities on their route, the rattling wheels slowly slackened speed, until they came to a halt, and for a few minutes the train stood still, as if to take breath for an- other wild plungs through space, At these stations Frank had work laid out for him, At each of them he left the car and de- scended to the platform, looking keenly along ihe line of the train to see if Converse did the same, Only once was he successful in this quest, Converse did leave the train. Butit seemed to be only for a breath of fresh air, ior he seram- bled hastily back at the ‘‘ All aboard” of the conductor. Frank, who had taken care to keep bis face in skadow, followed his example, and they wer) away again. But, we must be excused from giving the varied details of this day of travel, or of the many vivid impressions it made on the mind of the boy, whose experience of life had been main- ly confined to the bustling streets of a great city. The new world of the country was a revelation tohim, Many a time did he feel a strong desire, as some fresh bit of rural loveliness broke upon his vision, to leave the train and his mission, and enjoy to the full the charm of those sunny landscapes, But, duty outruled inclination, and he was forced to satisfy himself with eye-glimpses of such a wonderful outlook as bad never come to his dreaming fancy in his narrow city chamber. ‘Night fell Sloura before the train reached its destination, There was nothing further to see, other than the flashing lights of the stations as the train flew past; or to hear, than the roar of the train, or the momentary bustle as it halted at long intervals. Yet nosleep came tothe young traveler’s eyes. He was too unused to the railroad for slumber to visit his senses eusily, And he never for a moment forgot the necessity of wakefulness and incessant vigilance, . 3 It was midnight when they rolled into the sta- tion at the great Lake City. Now the young detective had every reason to be wide awake, W hat were Converse’s plans? Had he bought a ticket to Buffalo as.a blind, and_was it his pur- pose to go on without delay—to Chicago, or else- where? | This question could only be answered by events. Frank lost not a moment in springing from the car to the platform of the well-lighted | station, Indeed, the train had_ barely stopped before his feet were on the boards. In a minute more people were swarming from the train, Frank had located the car which held the man in whom he was interested, and watched that with the eyes of ahawk. His watchfulness was soon rewarded, The portly form of Con- verse was visible, descending from the car and gin, “Sp, Sow genp forward, Fran 7 = —_ ~ ot a ex > 2 . 4 = ue eee a : OO me mee eee tema teememeneeetmm meena eee eee ee ——————————— el dent that the traveler had ended in it. mn me he er wee | ee es tee Ry ee re oe ee Oe On nae * aaa ~* a — _ - . 5 . r ~ — a _ on = —_ — ° ~ - . ; . - - ed “ his journey for that night, He walked through the station, and out through the line of vocifer- ating cabmen, and took hig seat in a hotel coach that was backed up to the pavement. Frank hurried forward, with a momentary impulse to enter the same coach; but second thoughts caused him to halt. This course was risky. Hecontented himself with observing the name of the hotel on the coach-panels, and turn- ed away. Not until the coach had rattled off, with its load of passengers, did he turn bis steps in the same direction. ‘* He’s nailed for to-night, anyhow,” he said to himself, ‘‘I reckon I can walk. I’m in for a good snooze for the rest of the night, and an early get-up in the morning. Now for the hotel.” . A few questions put him on the right track, and within ten minutes be found bimself in the broad waiting-room of the hotel to which Con- verse had been driven. He was not in sight, nor was his name on the hotel-register, Frank, while writing his name, looked curi- ously up the row of names before him, That of ** Converse” was not there. ‘Has he changed his name, or given methe slip?” he asked himself. ‘‘ Not the last any- how.” He had at that moment caught sight of a well- known form on the stairway. ‘1d like to know which of these two names he’s sailing under.” Within fifteen minutes afterward, bowever this and all other thoughts were driven out of the boy’s sleepy brain. Stretched on a hotel bed, he Was son as sound asleep as if slumber we ys one thing needful in this world of care and toil, CHAPTER V. A MAN OF MANY NAMES, AN early breakfast, a short walk through the wide streets of Buffalo, and Frank Melton was ready for his day’s work, The morning was one of brisk temperature. A sharp northwest blast blew over the lakes and whistled through the streets, forcing the boy to button his ulster and draw up his collar over his ears, “Stinging weather, by Jiminy!” he said, with ashiver. ‘* Dick said I’d find it worse up here than in York, and I reckon he about hitit. It’s lucky he bought me this warm-'em-up. Ill be sensible to hike back to the hotel,— No I won't,” he finished, as something caught his eye, This was the form of Mr, Converse, who was walking slowly along the opposite side of the street, The sight of him roused all the detective instinct in the boy’s blood, and he set himself to watch his movements, It was not a difficult task, Thesteps of the gentleman seemed to be directed to the post- office. Reaching this, he entered and was lost to sight for several minutes, He emerged empty- handed, and continued his walk, Frank still followed. Yet there was nothing to learn, Converse was simply taking a morning constitutional. Leaving the business thoroughfare, he sought one of the broad and handsome residence streets of the city, where he strolled slowly onward, ag if admiring its stately edifices, with their broad and tasteful grounds. 3 : From there, through # series of streets, Con- verse sought the river-front of the city, then in all tha bustle of the active shipping trade which ‘centers there. Vessels loading and unloading, drays and wagons coming and going, hund of men actively engaged in busy labors, the boy gazed on a scene of bustling turmoil not sur- paseo by that of the wharves of the metropolis i self, But in all this he took little interest. It was too much like what he saw every Cat of his life to have any novelty for him. at he did look on with interest were the waters which bathed tbe wharves on which he stood, He knew thet these were the waters of the Niagara River, and that not many miles from where he stood these quiet waters Cashed or with race-borse speed, leaping like the ocear waves when lashed with the whip of the hurri- cane, and then in one broad mass poured over @ recipice, making the most stupendous cataract nown in the world—the far-famed Falls of Ni- agara, ‘**Wouldn’t I said the boy to * ~* . « « - < A ‘ ¥. "a - > a . “ ’ ~d * > - -_ <— > ’ ~< = . « aoe . Ps ° . » h e se ~~ He eae 4 ‘ - - . - a > eS Te > oe «<a eS Pe —— - -| |e aie ee 1 Oh OX @ i a EN J J — : | | * >a P . ive something to see them!*> : mself. “Itain’t much good os, followed him, grip-sack in hand. It | looking at this water and trying tosee pictures == Don’t Jacob P, want to see the Falls? 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