Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1090 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 Allan an 4-11-44’—or whatever it is—stamped onter his sailor arm? Ireckon as how ther real A. A. looms up like a comical comet on a lush, Butif they drugged. him, ez seems likely, how does it a floatin’ round here loose? He’s as dang’rous ter them as a ship with Yaller Jack on board. An’ what about this insurance on Tom Smith’s life, in Andrew’s name? Oh! that’s ez plain as a copper’s stomach. , They will try ter kill ther real Keni Allan, an’ then per- dooce his defunct carkiss an’ git ther twenty thousand, Reckon I ought ter put ther insurance folks onter this -acket. ‘But, hole on; go slow, Josey, you fresh young kid. Don’t be too previous. Jit they prove Andy Allan dead, how is he goin’ ter keep on livin? an’ share ther boodle he gits by marry- in’ Laura Murray? Gosh all ’tater-bugs, thar’s a weak pint inmy theorum. Reckon this water is too deep fur wadin’ an’ too thick fur swim- min’. Ther gang can’t be arter both boodles, an’ ther interrogatory rises, which boodle is wanted?” Just then Kitty reappeared, and said that Mrs. Bradford and Mise urray were in the sit- ting-room, and that Joe could go in and deliver his letter. The boy, however, still had his latest puzzle in his mind, and he proceeded to ask the servant more questions, hey brought him no informa- tion, and he walked slowly toward the sitting- room. + Things i is awfully mixed; wuss than a rail- road § -up, an’ I need a backer. I’ma lame dog, jest. now, an’ orter be helped over ther fence. Who kin do it? I must see my pard, ther sailor chap. If he’s recovered th’ use o’ his ag mebbe bp will know somethin’.” He had now reached the sitting-room door. He heard voices within, but, without stopping, he boldly opened the door and entered. The false Laura Murray and an old lady were there—and some one else, Jubilee stopped in sudden surprise, for he stood face to fac e with Tom Smith, alias An- drew Allan! CHAPTER XII. [BY WM. R. \EYSTER.) JUBILEE IN A PARLOR. THE discovery made by Jubilee Joo came near knocking him down. ‘T scream an’ water millyuns, but here’s a go!” was his mental exclamation. ‘* Fur a boy thet’s bin sharp’nin’ his nose on every grindstun’, from here ter Fairmo’nt Waterworks, this is ther delightfullest mix his mother’s darlin’ could athortov. KinJ,ercan’t I? Here goes, ef it takes a wheel off!” Fortunately, Joe could think like lightning; and when he got through it all hung together. It was too late now for retreat, since he saw that the moment the door opened the eyes of the three were fixed u ig ‘heen him, and the only chances for him were to brazen it out, or try a new dodge al- together, Instantly his left eye took on a squint, and he ambled into the room with a limp and a twist in his leg, that was anything but like his ordinary mode of progress, ‘‘Say, Misses Bradford, hes Jubilee Joe bin here yet this mornin’? The lantern-jawed, tor- tle-toed, red-headed, knock-kneed, hick-jop hes jest skunned me outen a half a case ef he hes, an’ I’m goin’ fur ter git even afore I’m through.” He was street Arab already, and he threw all the earnestness into his query that was necessary to make it sound like the genuine thing. The false Andrew Allan gave a great start, and then fell to eying the youngster keenly. Miss Laura Murra —as she was here known—looked uncom- fortable; while Mrs. Bradford held up her hands at the unexpected apparition, exclaiming in a curious, cracked voice: “Bless my heart, you rude, impudent bo What do you mean by coming ‘here? What fe I know about ‘Jubilee Joe,’ and who are you?” ‘*Me? i’m Billy Butcher; an’ I kin give yer ther hull fax in pertick ler meter, an’ friz ter suit ther condish of ther atmo-spear. ” ‘But I do not want any facts. Get out of this » you little vagabond. I didn’t mean it. Go away ! Kitty! ! Kitty! Come and turn the little villain out.” Tom Smith had been watching his young en- emy, but he was still fairly puzzled. 6 was in- clined to think all boys were Jubilee Joe that morning—he had seen him a dozen times in a dozen different garbs on his way thither, and it was of Jubilee Joseph he had first thought when the youth entered the room. disguise that Joe Bindley had unwittingly - assumed had thrown him off the track, however ; though with the sharpness of men of his stam he scented a very large-sized rat in the meal- tub. He raised his head and looked again. After the tumble into the mud of the old well Joe had to clean himself, and the fresh face, the well-combed hair, and the decent clothes made a complete disguise. ‘A moment, Mrs, Bradford, These gutter- snipes don’t generally trust themselves inside of a house unless they have an errand of some kind, and I really think it would be as well if we heard what he hastosay. If he cannot give a good excuse for his intrusion, I assure you [ will lift him over the doorstep with the toe of my boot. Will you allow him to proceed?” ‘Certainly, Andrew, if you wish to hear. He gave me a start, coming in all of a sudden; and we have so much to taik about, anyway. Go On, little boy. What is it you wish to know? Tell us your whole story. You speak as though some one had injured you and you thought that we were in some way helping him.” ‘** Guess ye’r’ out, right there, He ain’t ther kind ov a snoozer ter want much help when it comes ter pullin’ ther wool over ther eyes Ov greenies like you ’pear ter be. Me an’ Josey found a letter, an’ J oe, he sed ez how ther thing were dropped by a feller he knowed , an’ that he’d bin ’rc rund an’ seen ther ghal it was fur, an’ she war ter gi’n him a dollar ter bring’ it ‘round ; ai.’ he sed halvers. But I wouldn’t gi’n up ther letter, so me an’ him fit: an’ I jest whaled ther boots offen him. ‘** So I hed ther letter, an’ he hed ther place it was ter go to; an’ there we both was. So I played it fine, an’ tole him ter shake, an’ ef he’d tell me where it were ter go fur I'd divvy u his regulars. Then he tole me it were ‘fur ally Mark, w’ot lived here with Mrs, Bradford; an’ we talked her over, an’ ’greed ter kim ‘round here early in ther mornin’,” ‘“Tn that case I can’t see that’ you have any- thing to complain of,” interrupted Smith, quite coolly. ‘‘ You are here with the letter, and if Joseph is not around to get his share of the promised dollar—which I do not think you will earn here—you are all the better o Mrs. Bradford, have you any one in the kitchen an- swering to the name of Sally Mark?” The false Laura Murray cast upon him a furious look, but before the old lady could an- swer, Joe broke in: “Hold on! Yer ain’t heerd ther ww’st ov it. ‘When [I were a-snoozin’, round at Bolly De- wees’s, he went through my kicksies; an’ now he’s got stiff an’ all, an’s goin’ ter stun me outen me regulars. So, ef he comes, won’t yer please nab ther slum an’ beller fur a co : You kin send ther coach-wheel round ter Bolly’s, whar I roost, er I’)] call here ag’in later. sae ll hike it, when he sees yer fly ter his plant, an’ I swear it'll save u settlement, Ef J stag ther nibs ov ther queer kid, [ll croake ther sneak, ef it fits me fur a wooden overcoat.” Mrs, Bradford looked from the boy to Andrew Allan in helpless amazement. This last was all Greek to her, though it was all flash to Tom, who could “‘ weed the slang” himself with the best of them, But what was the mystery about. this letter for Sally Mark? and how was he to prevent the suspicions of Mrs. Bradford from being aroused? e cast a sly glance at his confederate, and saw something in her face that satisfied him there was more in it all than even the boy let out, Pérhaps some one was playing him false? If so, he had the chance to’ unearth thetreachery through this youngster who had so opportunely turned up. And through him it would be easy to get t is confounded Jubilee Joe into his clutches again. The failure of the attempt of Mother Hickley had not only, frightened him, but it had shown that it was more than an or- dinary youngster who, under the table at John- ny Flynn’s, had heard enough to post him pretty well in regard to their plot, He knew Sally was watching him keenly, and he did not want to let her into his little game, so he proceeded carefully. “Ah, I think I understand; though you do make use of some very outlandish words. Of course you're Jaboring under a mistake. Per- haps this Joe whom you speak of has willfully deceived you. While you are wasting your time here, he has gone to the right house and made his dollar.” ‘* Rf I find out thet he hes, I'll klem his nibs till his bugle hangs over his tile. Ef he tickles me fur a flat PU kick him fur a mule, an’ don’t MA ai fur git it! So-long, pards! I'll seo yer ater.” ‘‘T am almost.a stranger in the ci began Smith, ‘‘and may want a good, ae i boy for Jubilee Joe, the ee Joe, the Chain-Lightning Detective. an occasional errand. Indeed, I will need one this morning. When can I find you in—” Smith’s query was broken off by the sound of a ring of the door-bell. Itwas asteady, ponder- ous pull that seemed to have the elements of respectability in its clang, and yet it caused at least two ot those present*to look anxiously around. Who was likely to be calling on Mrs. Bradford at that early hour of the mor ning: " Kitty came in briskly with a card, which she showed to her mistress. ‘Bond, Bond,” muttered the old lady, ‘‘ oh, indeed! ‘Well, Kitty show him in.’ So with Jubilee’ Jce still waiting for the unfinished question, and everybody more or less uncomfortable, the gentleman was ushered in, “Ther main buildin’ to a soap-box!” thought Joe. ‘*Ef it ain’t ther V. P., call me a brass- back, i a ie A No.1 liar! Kin he be after met He’s surspicious ov everythin’ jist now, an’ ef he claps peepers on me it won’t be no slouch ov a job to fool him.” For the present, at least, Mr. Bond was fully engaged with Mrs. Bradford; and Tom Smith was too much interested in the intruder and what could be learned of his intentions, to finish his sentence, or even remember that there was a young man—by the possible name of Butcher —in the room. The three made a group by themselves, and Jubilee Joe saw a chance to get in a little more of his work. Without delay he sidled over toward Miss Mark, and giving her a wink, that in its shrewdness defies descri tion, he showed her the letter which he had held concealed in his hand. Her eyes egy wide, and then snapped and spark] Ps She understood. The boy was even sharper than she had thought. Recognizing that this young man might be a lover of hers, he had thrown off suspicion in a wonderfully adroit way, at some risk to him- self. Though not trusting herself to speak, even in a whisper, her lips fashioned the words: ‘*Good boy! I won’t betray you; and I will aint ou when there are no spectators to sus- ust now I 1nust see -what is going on. tip out the way you came while they are not looking.” Very good advice, that; but Joe had no inten- tion of taking it as ‘long as he could see some- thing better. He nodded, passed the letter over, and then was ready to see what Ezra Bond, viee- pore: could make out of Tom Smith, and earn, if possible, what chance had brought him there, Thereseemed to besomething strangely exciting about the meeting between the older two; but Joe Bindley had missed the preliminary part of the conversation, and could not make much out: of the first scattered words that he heard, ex- S t that they were pene old acquaintances, o had lost sight of each other for years. the Bibel connected thought that the boy was: nd now you'll excuse me if I ask what the clianee was that brought you here, I know you did notexpect to see me.’ ‘¢ No, indeed; and you must forgive me for the truth 0) frankly expressed, I made some inquiries in the neighborhood as.to who lived in this house; and even then your name sug nothing. Not to make a mystery, I saw this young gentleman enter.” He gracefully waved his hand toward the fic- titious Allan, to whom he had simply bowed on entering. ‘*We had some little business together, and afterward it struck me that I had been too easily impressed by his appearance and manner, and had learned too little about him and his cir- cumstances. It was in search of sucn informa- tion that I entered your house, not knowing that I was going ”—here he uttered a little la that brought the suspicion of an antiquated flush to the face of the elder lady, while he added—‘‘ to meet my fate.” ‘* Do not be foolish, Ezra. I am too old to be flattered; and the saddest thing in life is. to think of the long ago, and remember that it has gone forever.” She heaved an asthmatic sigh, and Jubilee Joe came near bursting right out. The sentiment, the sigh, and the old lady’s high falsetto voice to- gether were almost too much for him. “Tne antiquated old hen! Ef he ain’t madea mash on her you kin sell my mammy’s eldest fur a@ sup nle-jack, Ef ther’s a Mrs, Bond lyin’ ‘round loose, wonder ef I couldn't make a ten- strike by peddlin’ w’ot I know about 1,209 Spruce street ter her. She makes me tired. * Ezra Bond did not seem to find it soridiculons; but the ways of a man whohas put business a Ks es Shay . . | Py tye yeas vl? bh reg per. » Soe Pees Cc NE } 1 a y! &, « ° P ; * eithes w * : 7 of} toa), 2 o* {hk ly ;. a