Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1015 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 . i ae. FE ae te ES might want to borrowmoney. ‘* We’llsee about it, Heard you got the bounce, Where have you been keeping yourself?” ‘“Been knocking about. But, I say! Ifa cross-eyed man in a sort of waiter’s dress comes in here, just swing to him, will you? Keep him in tow for a moment or two.” ‘‘ Very well, sonny.” Smalley was eying B>- land’s garb the while. ‘‘I’ll tackle him. Bu), are you really down to slinging bash in a restau- rant?” ‘‘ Well, not exactly!” ‘¢ Dev’lish mean in old Briggs to give you the sack. You’ll do better when you have more ex- perience. Broke?” ‘‘Not yet. Can’t explain, but lam on a new lay now. It may pan outa good thingif I can work it out. Look sharp! There is my man,” Tom darced behind a screen and made his way out without being seen, just as the cross- eyed butler entered from the other side and stood looking cautiously about. Smalley saun- tered up .o him, looked him carefully over, then he held o ut his hand. ‘¢ Bless my sout!” he exclaimed, ‘‘ Why, how are you, Dick? When did you get back?” Then he rattled on with a string of effusive nonsense at a pace that gave the astonished butler no chance to say a word for a moment or more, ‘‘T don’t think I remember you,” said the shadower, as soon as he could make himself heard, and moving off at the same time. But, Smalley was after him with an air of social insistence, and thrusting his arm through the butler’s, bore him gently but irresistibly to the bar, ‘Well, I remember you perfectly,” averred Smalley, gayly. ‘‘ Long time, though, since we met. Smalley is my name. What will you take?” The butler, finding his new acquaintance per- sistent, took something red, with lemon and sugar attached thereto, and again looked around the room, ‘Looking for somebody, Dick?’ asked Smal- ley. ‘*Mighty apt to find him here, Great lace this, But,l say, whatisthe matter? You ook as if you had wallowed ina coal-bin?” The butler winced at Smalley’s accidental ac- curacy The back of his coat was covered with coal-dust, he having had no time to brush up when found by Leland, who had entered the house by the rear way as was sometimes his wont, and who had heard the butler’s groans, had released him, heard the explanations and then made his servitor follow him at once in search of Agnes, the housemaid telling them that she was in the Square, ‘But, that’s all right,” continued Smalley. “T get a jag on myself, now and then, I’m afraid you'll have a head on you in the morning, old boy.” Thus, on one pretext or another, he managed to detain the man for several minutes; then Mr. Smalley suddenly remembered that he had for- gotten a pressing engagement and tore himself away from his friend, Dick, with some appear- ance of regret, having, the while, dextrously forestalled all attempts on the butler’s part to either explain or withdraw, Then he walked slowly down the Bowery to another well-known resort near Park Row. He stood in the door- way, quite cblivious of that engagement, and Sante himself, on the whole, feeling rather ull, ‘Wish I was at work,” he thought. ‘For fifty cents in nickels I’d give this blessed burg the shake, One might as well get jagged at once as to be reduced to kill time in this sbape, Hullo here! Look where you're going, will you?” This remark was brought out by his being rudely shouldered by a seedy-looking youth with spectacles and a moustache, who seemed to have taken on the kind of “jag” which Smalley had alluded to in his solitary com- munings. The fellow steadied himself against the door-post and peering into Smalley’s face, grinned in an idiotic manner, wk ne You’re too full for my company,” said Smalley, starting away, but the other bold- ly held him back by the collar. *“*Tf vou fail to recognize me in this get-up, guess I’m safe enough,” remarked the new- comer, suddenly sobering up. ‘* Don’t you know Tom Boland, man?” ‘‘ Well, I swear!” Smalley was tickled as well asamazed, ‘‘I even fancied I could smell your breath, Come! This is immense! What are you up to, anyhow?” Tum’s waiter’s garb had been exchanged for a half-shabby cutaway coat, loud trowsers, anda brown derby. He wore bi3 own short hair, but had donned a reddish-brown mustache and a different pair of eye-glasses. A peculiar limp, asif one leg was stiff, also strengthened the dis- guise. ‘‘T see you have given Cross-eyes the shake,” said Tom. ‘I hardly think he will recognize me inthis rig. Let us go into Hilton’s and bave some oysters. As I said before, I am on a little lay and find that I need help, 1 understood that you were temporarily laid off. How would you ike to take a hand in a little racket that promises to turn out the biggest kind of a sensa- tion?” ‘* Well, that depends. boy ?” **Scadoodles of it if we succeed! But that is Any money in it, my The Reporter-Detective’s Big Pull. | ' | ‘Yes, and get either a ballin your goozleor another gag in your mouth. It’s healthiest for you to keep quiet. We may need your help.” Tl] see you hanged before I help you except to clap you in jiil.” Said with vicious em- phasis, ‘‘Execuse me,” said Tom. ‘I think you will assist us when we are ready for you to do so.” ‘*That’s cool, Why, I'd like to know?” ‘‘Because your life is at stake—see?” The butler sneered. ‘' Now listen to me, you scoun- drel.” Tom, dropping his affected drawl, spoke sharp and stern, ‘‘I have got you and your precious master down fine. He will be here to- night.” Swivel started involuntarily. “I see not all, Smalley. We are to rescue beauty in | you understand. Some one will meet him here distress—avenge a foul crime and all that sort of thing.” ‘* Sounds old - time - novelish. run?’ “Of course, mounted. Tell you what, Small; good fellow. Dll let you in on the ground floor.” Smalley was interested, but dubious. But none that cannot be sur- ~_some one who was in Commodore Sutherland’s house on the night of the murder, Some one Any risks to | also saw to it that the servants should be out of the way when the deed was done,” ‘© How do you know that?” demanded Swivel, you are a| startled into a certain wildness of manner. ‘* Are you the very devil himself?” ‘‘T will preve worse than the devil to you if They | you interfere, either by word, look or movement talked it over while discussing their oysters,and | with the programme I have arranged to carry Boland grew eloquent in depicting the possible advantages that might accrue from a vigorous out here to-night. Do you suppose I have been selling old clothes for nothing, this week or pushing of this Sutherland affair, privately, on | more?” their own hook, “Come with me to my room, Smalley,” urged | Tom with both fear and aversion. The butler twisted about uneasily, regarding Young Bo- Tom, as he paid the bill and they strolled out to | land continued: the street. ‘‘I will explain just what I want “ys assistant for and what you will have to 0. CHAPTER VIII. THE OLD CLOTHES MAN, CONSPIRATORS, NEARLY a fortnight after the events recorded in the preceding chapter, Swivel, the cross-eyed butler, was called from tbe kitchen to the back- yard gate of the Leland house by a knock, ‘* When Leland comes here, you are to receive bim just as usual, never letting him know about me or my partner being on band, ‘ You will take him to bis room on the second floor and see that he stays there. When that other person arrives, show him in to your master and let their interview take place there, D’ye under- stand ?” Swivel grunted in an unmeaping sort of way. ‘‘ When my partner comes he will be in the wake of that other fellow. Take him into the He admitted a hump-backed man, whose face | room adjoining the one your master and his was nearly hidden by athick beard. His gen- | guest will be in.” eral appearance was that of a second-hand ‘Bloody nice programme this, Where will dealer in old clothing something down upon his | you happen to be?” luck, ‘‘Never mind, [shall be on hand to riddle ‘“‘Swivel, my poy,” said this person as he | you with bulletsif you fail in the least to do as pushed his way inside, ‘‘[ thought ash how you would nefer let me in, your master’s old clothes?” ‘‘ Come, now,” returned Swivel shrewdly; “‘I | the company Have you collected all | of the meter. say. I shall turn the gas off and keep the key I found out you had one when [I was a waiter here. You will say to Leland that are having some pipes mended, know you haven’t been hanging round for a | and serve him with candles, which I know you week just to get a few old clothes. you up to, anybow?” ‘*S) help me gracious!” exclaimed the other in awkwardly expressed surprise. ‘* What else should I want?) I ama poor man, undt trade is very pad—exsheedingly pad. Your master, he has gone, undt he leafs you in sharge. Well, now. I get dem clothes of you, sheap. You no want ’em yourself,” What are | have on hand. The house will be dark and my plan be less liable to interruption.” Then Boland disappeared down the cellar stairs, Swivel struggled desperately to release himself, and his face was red with ineffectual exertion as Tom soon returned, ‘‘T have turned off the gas,” he remarked. “ Now, as it is getting dark, we will light this candle, I see one sign of good old aristocracy The cross-eyed butler leaned forward and | here; you don’t have any vulgar lamps about, smiled knowingly. ‘‘T want to know your little game,” said he, Nothing but gas and good wax-candles, Now, old man, I’m going toset youfree, I'll borrow “You are no more an old-clothes dealer than I | your pocket-knife,and I know you have no other am anangel. l’ve only been waiting for a good chance to tell you so—see?” As he spoke he jerked the hump-backed man’s | and docile—all hat from the latter’s heed with a swift move- | misplaced word—nay, ment, bringing with it also a busby wig and beard. Then he fell back in amazement at this result, for confronting him were the sharp fea- weapons in the house except a carver and butch- er, which I will also lookafter. If you are quiet well. But one wrong step, one one suspicious quiver of your eyelid, and I'll do a little murdering, my- self. Remember; thisis a desperate game, and land wy pal are not only armed but actually tures and keen eyes of the young man who had | thirsting for gore! It’s all I can do to keep my turned the tables on him in the coal-house! But, while he stared, Boland Jeaped upon him and the two went down under the kitchen table, for they had entered the house meanwhile. Presently the butler began to call for belp. ‘‘Call away!” said Tom. you have been alone here for ten days? There, take that.” He forced something tightly over the butler’s mouth and nose, despite the Jatter’s struggles, which soon grew fainter, and finally ceased alto- gether. Tom rose, took from small rope and bound the butler securely. Then a from a trigger, right now.” land, while speaking, loosed Swivel’s bonds, but kept a wary eye on bis least movement. The butler arose to his feet and stood there obe- dient but sullen, The extraordinary nerve and ‘‘ Don’t I know that | dexterity of the young man. had evidently awed the fellow, somewhat, At this juncture the door-bell rung loudly. ‘‘ Well, why are you not getting a move on yourself?” demanded Boland, ‘* Remember, I shall be watching,” and he showed his pistol his pockets some | significantly as Swivel moved off. ‘‘ What makes you so slow?” growled Leland he seated himself, drew a revolver and calmly | as his butler at last opened the street-door. waited for the man to revive, which he present- ‘‘Think I must have been nodding,sir.” As ly did, with a sneeze, a growl and an ineffectual | he spoke Swivel glanced nervously toward a effort to release himself from his bonds, — ‘+L rather think I have bested you again, Mr, dark recess under the ball-stairs where he knew Boland had ensconced bimself with a cocked re- Swivel,” remarked Boland, affecting a lazy | volver. drawl, ‘‘ Well, show me into a warm room and be ‘‘ You must be the devil,” groaned the butler. | quick about it. I don’t pay you to nod.” ‘But, I bave had enough of this foolishness, Let me up.” “Not just yet. Idid not intend to unmask until my pal comes, but you were 80 very eager, Leland seemed to be ina bad humor and fol- lowed the butler up-stairs, grumbling as he went. The heat had been turned on from the furnace, but as Swivel placed a lighted candle ou know, that I had to precipitate mattersa | on the table Leland ordered him to light the gag, ittle. No, you must lie quiet a bit.” ‘*Do you mean to rob the house? If soI can still raise an alarm,” | Swivel explained, according to Boland’s in- structions, for be felt the presence of the latter’s eye and pistol in his very bones, | "g Ns lee ‘ 200ks er & com “— ir *» * ;