Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 145 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Captain Ferret, the New York Detective. chi Hall and the Main Building, when he ‘wrap Bix ab tugging at bis coat sleeve and turned in some surprise to find hi in the presence of Miss Cora Castle, Madam Fayette’s pretty millinery clerk, ou are,” she said, still “Oh! I know who retaining a hold upon arm, with girlish im- petuosity. ‘I recognized youthe instant I saw you, despite your fine dress; and now, as I’ve got my waa from the madam, and am off on a holiday, I forthwith appoint you my cavalier and escort for the day.’ CHAPTER XIL CONCLUSION. Tue girl was so positive, that Boss Bob seem- ed inclined to accept the inevitable, and offering his arm, they strolled along out the Belmont avenue of the grounds, to get out of the dense crowds that already swarmed within the Cen- tennial inclosure. “Dunno ef I orter hitch onter you or not,” he observed, scanning the girl and her elegant cos- tume, critically. “* You let them cusses smuggle me outo’ Fayette’s house, an’ I’d’a’ ben meat fer bologna, by this time, ef et hadn’t been fer Fox and Script.” ' ‘‘Oh, Bob! I was really powerless to 554 ou,” the girl PS ceo earnestly, ‘‘or I shoul ave done so. The madam shut me up ina room, and threatened to murder me, if I betray- ed them.” ‘*Mebbe,” Bob accepted, rather doubtfully. ‘‘ Annyhow, ye wouldn’t make er reg’lar Buf- fler Bill heerine, or you’d a-sailed right in, shirt- sleeves an’ stockin’-feet, murder or no murder, an’ reskued me, in ther midst o’ a tabler o’ col- ored fire.” Cora Castile laughed. ‘Well, I see you are inclined to think I’m a bad girl, because I worked for a viper,” she said, -« bar such is not the case. I’m every bit as good, as when I used to be your Sally, and know a bit more, too. To prove that I am loyal to you, ’'m going to tell you something that will eek ie 2 eyes. ‘All right. Sail in. I’m allus open fer eye- openers,” the Booth.cck King replied. ‘Ef ye can prove ye are on my side, ’stead o’ Madam Fayette’s, all right; an’ ef ye can’t you’ve got ter bounce.” “Very well, I will bounce, if I cannot prove my fidelity. You see, madam and I di because 0 the eg hoo of wages that were due me, and sh- told me to skip out, and make room for another. So I skipped, fe g with me some of madam’s secrets, which I have ac- q from time to time Here is the latest lan te git rid of you. I heard the madam and tchell discussing it, this ar: before I left. {t was expected by them that you could be found at the Centennial, to-night, when the fireworks come off, as nearly every one who ean raise a half-dollar will be here to witness the display. A spotter will be put on your track, to keep near watch of you, and about the time the fireworks begin, a cabman will come to you, in great haste, panne EA that he was sent with his conveyance to bear you to the Turn- over mansion, where Judge Turnover lies strick- en with an attack of a plexy, and wishes to see you before he dies. course you follow the coachman, get into his close carriage, and find yourself a prisoner in the hands of Mitchell and the madam, with no prospect of ever seeing the light of day in.’ Bob gave vent to a whistle of rise. ‘‘So that’s their game is it? Well, we'll see about that, mebbe. I got out o’ their trap once, and I reckon [| ain’t a-goin’ ter fall inter it ag’in. Much obliged ter ye fer ther p’ints o’ the case, Sally, an’ we’ll take a look around the Centen- nial, afore we to Turnover’s ter plot ag’in’ ther madam an’ Mickey Angel-oh Mitch. Guess I orter stand ther treats, hedn’t I, too?’ And with the hpereay a young king of finance, he fairly loaded pretty and affable eompanion down with presents and candies and s0-forth, until she was forced to beg of him to desist. ey first visited the Main Building with its acres of wondrous exhibits, but finding it too erowded, crossed over to Machinery Hall, and inspected the ponderous Corliss Engine, the looms, the ivory working machinery, and hun- dreds of other novelties, after which they visit- ed the glass works, and viewed the marvelous workings and artistic modeling processes of that wonderful art. Cora was delighted, for with hundreds ef other native Philadelphians, she had never before visited the i on. “It I was to get married, ’'d just be crazy to have some of these beautiful designs of glass-ware,” Cora said, squeezing Bob’s arm, ‘“‘ Aren’t they superb?’ with me to my home, to await m | God 15 do, I do not yet know; for the present you beth decisien. knows, I never calculated that I should su estively. ‘Dunso about that,” Bob replied, ex: off _ have to make a criminal captive of one who was his “‘ plug” hat, togive his headadig. * I’d ruther hev silver an’ gold. very well fer common folks, but ambassydors never stummick nothin’ but gold an’ silver. There’s ’Lysses Grant—they say he can’t take his tea onless et’s in a gold cup set wi’ di’monds. ’*Spect that will be my fix too, when I git as big | t | once my wife.” Glass will do | Madam Fayette did not reply, but sinking back upon the seat, buried her in her hands, and began to weep. Mitchell also resumed his seat, with a growl, seeming inclined to accept the inevitable, rather than make a useless resistance. as ee Don’t contemplate steppin’ off, do | Fem Boss Bob’s skillful driving, the car- e i. Yes, I do,” the girl replied, merrily, “ an’ | I’ve got my man “Phew! Who ““ Why, you, of course, you goose! Who else do you suppose I’d have, but you?’ ** Dunno,” Bob answered, dubiously. ‘ Didn’t know I was marketed, yet. 'Spect you’re gittin’ ahead o’ yer calculations, ain’t you?” ** Not a bit of it, Bob. We used to be lover- like toward each other, when our tions in life were relatively not so very different—you blacked boots, and I scrubbed sidewalk, I pro- pose we continue the same relations toward each other now. I’m an orphan, and I like you; and it’s your duty to like me and take care of the widows and orphans. What do you say: won’t you have me, if I’ll have you?” ** *Spect I'll have to cogitate on that. Guess I ain’t old enuff ter assume famerlv ’sponsibilities et. Dunno much ’bout wimmen an’ gals, any- ow-—-never hed enny luck a-shinin’ around ’em. Got more slop-buckets an’ scrubbin’ brushes fired at me than ever I did luvin’ glances, enuff ight. ‘Spect I never was cut out fer a mash, nohow. “ But, I like you, just the same,” the e per- Se in Boe be ‘an’ you’ve either got to make me Boss Bob, or I’ll sue you for breach of romise.” ‘* Sue an’ be hanged! Guess I can’t be drove. Tell you what Pll do. I'll consider, an’ ef I don’t conklude ter take ye, mebbe I can git ye a job, over at Turnover’s,” ‘*Good! Do so, and that will suit me just as well,” the girl said, with a laugh. ‘Maybe I can get Turnover himself. Anything so that I get a nice, stylish man, who has the scrip to sup- port me with.” ‘‘Bet aclam ye ken’t git ther judge,” Bob muttered, under bis breath. ‘* He’s hed one at- tack, an’ 1 guess it soured on his hands, an’ he won’t be apt ter want ernuther blizzard.” A close carriage s , that evening, upon Elm avenue, near the foot of George’s , Just as the grand display of fireworks was about to begin—not one carriage alone, but a hundred or more vehicles of every description, laden with those who had come to witness the display, with- out paying the admission fee to the grounds. e first mentioned, however, was a stylish conveyance, to which was attached a stylish of horses, and the driver’s seat was unoccu- ed. Just about the same time that the signal-rocket was fired, three es pushed through the crowd, and approached the carriage—being no other persons, than Judge Turnover, Fox, the Ferret, and Boss Bob. The latter rung to the driver’s seat, and no sooner had his two companions entered the ve- hicle, than he wheeled the horses about, and drove down the avenue as rapidly as the density of the crowd would permit. No quicker had Turnover and Fox entered the carriage, than they closed the door behind them and drew revolvers, for,as Eob had warn them, they found themselves in the presence of Madam Fayette and Mitchell. ‘“* Quiet, now,” the New York detective said, sternly. ‘‘ Don’t dare to make the least resist- ance, or I will call in the police to help me, You are 29, “Em cana until I have orders from Judge Turnover, here, for your release.” ‘*{n the name of Fury, what does this mean?” Mitchell demanded, excitedly—and both he and m Fayette shrunk to the opposite side of the coach, as if to escape. But the deadly gaze of Fox’s revolvers caused them to desist from any such attempt. The tableau within the car- riage, which was lighted, was not, however, visible to the outside crowd of people, because the windows were closely curtained. “It means,” Judge nover said, sternly, ‘‘that your villainous schemes against Boss Bob have been nipped in the bud, and that you are Low at my mercy, with the grates of a prison staring you in the face. All your criminal se- crets are known to me, and ee have me to look to for hope of mercy, as it isin my power to consign you to the dungeon you so richly de- serve, or to set you at liberty. Which I shall icked out, too.” he?” ! eee e——eeE————E——eEE—EEEE—EEEEEE————.eeeee ee a a ae et LT L'T- ——EEEE age soon reached the judge’s mansion, and the Bootblack King dismounted and opened the door of the conveyance. “ Here we are, gents an ladies,” he said, with a comical bow. ‘ Turuover, now, an’ tumble out, as fast as you please.” Fox and the judge got out, and motioned for the madam and Mitchel) to follow, which they did. ; Then all jes entered the mansion, and came to a halt in the parlor, where a strange tableau was presented, A coffin was mounted upon stools, in the cen- ter of the room, and within it, in a costly shroud of lace and flowers, re the remains of ber who had been Adele Frothingham. Near by, holding her dead sister’s baby, sat Flora Bacon, with tear-stained face. am Fayette took in the situation with a glance, and with a wild shriek, she staggered back and would have fallen, had not Fox caught her, and supported her to a sofa, where, when he had laid her down, he made the discovery that bloed was oozing from her nose and mouth; a few awful spasms followed, and then the heart ceased to ‘Lhe sight of the wreck her unmotherly career had wrought had probably been more than she could bear, and the shock had caused her life- thread the sudden strain that had snapped it in twain. Fox gently made the announcement, and Judge Turnover and Flora knelt beside the life less form, with tearful eyes, Boss Bob standing near, with a sad face. Though he felt like crying, the boy knew net whether to do so or not; as yet he didnot knew for certain that he was in any way related to either the judge or the dead woman. With a nod to Mitchell to follow, Fox led the way into the adjoining back eget where they waited for the judge and Bob to join them, which they speedily di Gazing N sect at his treacherous former ca ea e judge was silent for a few min- u * After awhile he said: ** Michael Mitcheil, I give you your liberty te leave—to - out of this city, as fast as youcan. I know full well this is not what you deserve, but, I am inclined to be mereiful. Through this lad, who is properly enough called Bess Bob, I have been restored, in life and in death, three of the members of my long-lost maj and I am thankful. Though my eldest chi d and my sinning wife are dead, life has a bright- er prospect for me, in the fact that I still have my younger daughter to cheer and eomfort me in my old age. Go! If you are found in Philadelphia after to-morrow noon, you shall pay to the full the penalty for your crimes and dishenor. Go!” Glad ef the opportunity offered, Mitchell took his leave, and was never thereafter seen in the Quaker City. On the following day, Terrance Maloney came tothe front, and confirmed Boss Bob’s belief that he was the missing Harry Turnover, by the statement that he had reeeived Bob from a whaling-ship captain, and had since that time been da small sum, aunually, by Madam Fayette, to keep Bob in ignorance of his ntage. This cleared the matter up. Maloney was liberally rewarded, while the judge was happy in the a of two of his lost children. The were buried later, side by side, and a costly monument erected to mark their last resting-place. Miss Cora Castle was adopted into the Turn- over family, at Boss Bob’s request, and the prospects seem to indicate that she and Fox will make a match, the latter having been a pointed superintendent of the Turnover mil under Harry—#. e. Boss Bob. w, Of course Boss Bob no longer belongs to the “ perfesshion,” but he still has a wide acquaint- ance among his old pals, and in his new tion in ea finds time to often give them a « ed THE END, GOmMmichboo <SiGO