Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1015 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 tated. He grew bolder. . ‘Come,’ said he, ‘Hand it over; we areina hurry.’ I knew, of course, that a few hours of investigation would place matters square before tie police, butif I -were arrested the rascals would have time to get away—in fact, anytuing mighthappen. Said I to himat last, ‘ You arean unblusbing fraud. I came here to stop this man from leaving the city, and he bas got to stay.’” ‘* Why did you not forestall him by calling for the police at once yourself, and bold them up with your pistol, in case they attempted to run, You know we have detective permits. This might bave hastened our denouement, but that woul have been better than giving bima chance to best you in public withan argument. We had them dead to rights anyhow.” ‘‘Hedid not argue wortt a cent. He coolly beckoned to the pier police, Twoof them came on the jump. hink of the gail of the man. ‘ Arrest this fellow, officer,’ said he. ‘He has robbed one of these servants of a draft of mine, Both of them willsweartotbecharge, Hereis my card.’ Weil, Tom, you know Leland is well- known in this city. When the cop read the naine he bowed low, then turned and collared me, ‘* Why did you not use your own tongue, man?” “T did. But appearances were against me, I saw Leland slip a bank-bill iato the cop’s hand and the cop threatened toclub meif I did not dry up. A crowd gathered, Swivel and the Italianslippedaway. Presently the patrol Jrove up, for we were near an alarm which the other cop hadrunupatonce, You should have seen Leland’s airs. Thecrowd sided with him and looked on me as a desperate crook, The patrol drove away, with mein it, Leland got into his cab and went—to join his pals, [I guess,” ** Smalley,” said Boland, ‘‘ if any one else had told me of your being £0 easily done up, I would not have believed his yarn,” ** Come, now, Boland,’ returned George roused from dejection into self-defense, ‘‘ what could I do? They wouldn’t believe me, even at the Then they found the draft in my It was payable to bearer, too. That Bat see here. If you are so im- station. pocket. looked bad, mensely sharp, how was it that you, who were shadowing Leland, let him getaway? Not only did he catch cn to your game, but he decoyed you into that hole and locked you up.” ‘*T am wrong to recriminate, George. I own up. But how did you get away from the police?” ** Ags luck would have it, I met old Briggs just as we hauled up in front or the station-bouse, I took him one side after I was searched and told him tow things were, Had to explain partly, in regard to our work on the Sutherland case, but he is solidand admires your method of vin- dicating your conduct asa reporter. He knew the captain in charge,and thecaptain hasa great respect for a big newspaper like tue World, On Briggs’s representation ke let me go on my Own recognizance to appear when wanted, in case Leland pressed the charge, which cf course he won’t do at all.” ‘““Lucky you happened to see Briggs. Glad, too; for the old fellow thinks there may yet be something in me after all. Where is that draft?” ‘““The captain allowed me to leave it with Briggs for safe-keeping, on my assuring him that there were other matters in which it might be wanted as evidence, He would not let me take it away. But, you see, he hasa great respect for an editor of a big daily. Now,what shall we do next? Our three birds have flown, and deuce only knows where the girl is!” ‘* Have you forgotten this telegram?” Smalley read it over again, then inquired: ‘‘Who isthe ‘her’ referred to, and who is Stephen Boland?” ‘*The ‘her’ is Agnes. Sutherland, of course. Stephen Boland is my respected father who, in his younger days, was a Brooklyn detective, He has a place near Huntingdon. I wrote tohim at a venture about Doctor Stadley and his retreat end also of Leland’s plots and plans. I thought that if Studley had ever been crooked, his place might be knowrgj bythe govefnor, It seems I did just the right thing in writing.” ‘* Well, are we to hunt up Leland end his pals again?” ‘* Wo will not lose sight of Leland very longif we keep en eye on the young vig I think we had better take the first train to Huntingdon.” ‘*Bat we may possibly let the arch criminal stip through our fingers in looking up the pirt, : : Tom regarded his friond with a slightly con- tem ,:tuons smile, The Reporter-Detective’s Big Pull. —— eee EEE al EE _—— —-=— —— - = —— ‘* You might make a good private on the city | In the haste of alighting they did not forget force, George, but you will never make an emer- | their man, but noticed that he, too, left the gency detective.” train. One of his legs was ehorter than the ‘‘ We], I’m not embitious in that line—very. | other, which gave Smalley’s memory a bint, But why?” ‘*T know that fellow, now,” said he to Tom, as the object of their scrutiny entered the wait- ing-room, ‘‘ You remember the Reynolds big- amy case? No—it was before your time, That man was one of the defendant’s witnesses, and proved to be a migbty crooked one, I was then reporting for the Sun. The district attorney roasted him well, It seems he had performed the second marriage ceremony after getting an inkling that there might be another wife on band already. But, he gotout of the mess some- how. Wonder what the old rook is up to, now?” The two, meanwhile, had taken seats in one of the waiting hacks and the man was Jost sight of, and thus, for the time, was ignored. They had a pleasant ride through a gently undulating country, semi-wooded, for en bour, when they were set down at the gate of a neat cottage re- sidencs about a mile out of Huntingdon. CHAPTER XIilIi, OFF FOR THE COUNTRY, TOMS HOME, GEORGE looked piqued and '‘l'‘om serene, yet both were thorougbly good-natured, ‘*T will tell you why,” explained the young reporter. ‘* You can follow a plain trail weil enough, but when difficulties occur you don’t use your head, Ofcourse we must not lose sight of | Leland, But, itis plainas daylight to me that | Leland will pot lose sight of Miss Agnes. She is | the corner-stone of bis air-castle, so to speak. Without her be cannot handle the commodore’s millions, Therefore, where she is, he will be, | sooner or later.” ‘Yet, knowing as he must, that, with the knowledge we now have of him, his game is about up, will be not collect all the boodle he | can lay his hands on and skip out, together with After paying their fare, Tom us!ered his his precious pals? | friend through a trim dooryard into an open ‘* Let us reason a little: Would he be apt | square hall, where a comely elderly lady was to leave behind the principal object of all | advancing to meet them, while iu the near-by his scheming? He is an audacious as well as | sitting-room a nice-looking girl of seventeen or shrewd villain. Now tat he supposes he has | eighteen was placing some music in a rack be- bested us both, he will hardly relinquish the | side an open upright piano, main fruits of his crime and plotting without a ‘* How d’ye do, mother?” saluted Tom, kissing further effort to gain absolute control of Miss | the elderly Iady affectionately, ‘‘This is my Sutherland by inaking her his w:fe. Then the | friend and present pard, George Smalley, whom Sutherland fortune will bo virtually his, to fight | you must make welcome for my sake, and you justice with, if need be, Besides, he does not | will soon learn to like him for hisowm. Ah, sis- know, either that you and J are free, or that we | ter Helen!” have a good clue as to Miss Sutherland’s present He now also kissed the young lady, a proceed- whereabouts,” ing Smalley would like to have duplicated, on ‘*T believe you are right, Tom, bis own account, but contented himself with his hurry, ourselves, then, I suppose.” best bow, for obvious reasons, ‘To be sure! Leland knows that time is ** W here’s father?” asked Tom when they were precious—that what he does he must do quick- | seated in the pleasant sitting-room. ‘1 wired “ ‘ him that we would be here on the next train,” ‘Suppose we find that the gir] is gone?” **'We are looking for him,” informed Mrs, ‘* My governor bas ber under bis eye, If she | Boland, ‘* He—” she hesitated, glancing at leaves, and he is unable to det«in ber, Le will | George, who was furtively regarding Helen. let us know something as to what has become of ‘*Georgeis allO. K., mother. Did I not say her. Trust the old gent. Heisa corker detec- | that we were paris in this affair?” tive, my boy. Now, while you pack a sachel I will run out and wire him that we will be down on the next train.” This plan was carried out. Smalley, acting under Tom’s advice, threw a couple of disguises | into a serge, f then the two hastened to the We must We thought he was only going to town and back but he sent word for us not to look for him un we saw him again.” P **He ison track of something,” decided the son, confidently. ‘‘I did not get his telegram until to-day, owing to my being kept away from headquarters longer than I expected.” ‘*Have you had dinner, or rather, perhaps, I should say luncheon?” ‘*No; we did not take time toeat. We are bungry as bears—at least I am,” On learning this the ladies withdrew to pre- pare a hasty meal, while Smalley followed Helen with his eyes as long as she was in sigbt, ‘*We must wait here until father returns or sends some word,” announced Boland, ‘“ He is probably interesting himself in our behalf, now,” “Well, [don’t mind that.” returned George, Brooklyn dep6t by way of the Bridge, Boland, on counting his money, found that he had bare- ly enough for car-fare for both and a few nickels over, ‘*T will borrow from the governor,” said he. ‘If we give old Briggs a good scoop on the whole affair, we will have money enough.” But Smalley dived into his pocket and pro- duced a small wad of bank-bills. Then he ex- plained: ‘* When I swore old Briggs to secrecy, on this job, | borrowed this of him to clinch the har- gain. Guess he thinks we bave got a sure thing | or he would not have been so liberal,” | ‘*T suppose you promised him that the paper | with his thoughts still on Miss Boland, then add- should have the inside track when we are ready | 1 hay ‘ y | ing mentally to himself: ‘‘ Gad! I will bet to bring in our returns. Well, the money is | Agnes Sutherland cannot hold a candle to this hendy now, yet itcuts us outof the chance to | one!” ' sell our news to the highest bidder,” | Presently he inquired of Tom: ‘* Briggs said he would pay as high as any | ‘* Who is that coming across the field with a one, He only wants the first whack.” | shovel over his shoulder?” ‘' Well, he shall have it, good, bad or indiffer- | ‘* Looks like some laborer,” remarked Tota, ent. But, haste is our watch-word now. The | goingtoa window. ‘‘ Coming here for work, I police are suspiciovs something is up which | guess,” their wise heads have not fathomed. Your ar- Then he resumed his seat and began to talk rest and release will strengthen that opinion. | aboutsomething else, Presently the door open- They will try to push an oar inif only to gain | ing upon a back piazza was darkened, and they the credit of results due perhaps to our work | saw a workingman standing there, leaning upon alone, Then again—” his shovel. Tom stopped suddenly, and leaned closer to ‘‘Can ayther av you two gintlemin,” he asked hiscompanion, They were then on the train, in a busky voice and a bregue, ‘‘ tell me where a ‘* See that fellow facing us in yonder seat at | poor man can geta bitava job the end of the car?” he whispered, *“ Don’t seem ‘*No! no!” replied Tom, balf-impatiently, for to notice him, I| believe he is watching us. he disliked the nature of the interruption, Keep your eye out and don’t let him get away | unseen,” A long-faced man, with a heavy chin beard and a ministerial air, had placed himself in a seat that faced most of the other seats. His gaze was mostly bent out et the window; but occasionally he looked toward the two young men, who, as yet, wore no disguise, Smalley appeared to be struck with tbe man’s appear- ance, and pondered for some time as to where | he could have seen that face before. The mat- ter remained unsolved to his mind, however, until the train arrived #t the station nearest Huntington, which Ixy several miles to the left, on Long Islan:! Sound, the man coolly, taking a seat with his back to the light, Tom stared at the man’s impudence and even Smalley looked humorously puzzled, ‘‘See here,” said Boland rising, ‘‘ we don’t want you in here, and the lady won't want ye" either. Now—will you go out?” ye ‘‘Not if I know mesilf!” returned the fellow taking outa pipe and preparing to smoke, Such extreme effrontery almost paralyzed Tom; then he was suddenly struck hy a shrewd suspicion, Changing his manner to one/ot -a- sistent courtesy, he produced a cigarette.and a match, Thrusting the first into the man’s te- 4 b | | IOOURS: ‘* Your father went away yesterday evening. ‘Faith, then, O?ll wait for the leddy,” said | om ~~ naa ae <4 O Miwa