Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 262 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

newsboy from his several encounters with him. | They never find nothin’. I's got todo it myself, or He walked up to the house with the air of a master, opened the door with a latch-key, and stalked boldly in, | | else guv it up. . ‘*T don’t see how,’’ answered Joe, as he looked de- spairingly at. the frowning red front of the house. ‘*Don’t bother yerself ‘bout the outside. It’s the Abont a half-hour afterward Jerry made his | inside we's got to lookarter. Did ye notice that gal appearance from a different direction, his short, thick-set figure, and savage expression betoken- ing both great strength and great brutality. y came Tim, whose hang-dog counte- nance and slouching gait were equally familiar to the boys. He was the most suspicious of the three, and his little, sharp eyes roved from right ‘to left, as if he was constantly on the look-out for danger. But the boys had other business just then, and the cautious villain failed to perceive any eause for suspicion as he made his way to the house, and rung for admission. Leaving the boys to their devices, we will enter with the burglars, as matters of some interest are trangpiring within. The room in which we find them is the rear apartment on the seoond floor of the mansion. is room is fitted up as an office, with desk, office chairs, etc. In an open grate by the wall a fire of bituminous coal is burning, though the room isso warm that the windows have to be opened for the admission of fresh air. On the table around which the three men are seated stands a square, flat walnut box, of about two feet square, and several inches in thickness, “‘There’s not a shadow of suspicion,” remarks Mart. ‘The police seem utterly at sea. The only odd thing is that about those two boys. Of course they can tell little about us, and they didn’t see enough of our faces to be able to describe us. But I wish the police would take them, and squeeze all they can out of them, Ii am curious to see what kind of a story they will ““l’m cur’us about nothin’ but the swag,” answered Jerry, harshly. ‘‘ You’ve been puttin’ us off now long enough, Just make the split and be dooe with it. That’s my say.” ‘** And mine too,” remarked Tim. ** All right, lads, a short horse is soon curried.” He threw back the lid of the box. Inside it was visible the yellow flash of gold. ** Toere’s not as much as I expected,” he con- as he commenced to count out the money. ‘‘Five bundred dollars will cover. it. But you can bave it between you, according to our bargain. I want the papers for my e. ‘‘That’s not the bargain,” said Jerry, sharply. ** We were to have 1 thousand apiece if we gave you the papers. I know you, Mart 8S ewart. on’t try none of your old tricks on me,”' ‘‘ Have I tried any trick? I was never the man to go back on my bargain.” _ * What are you going to do with the docu- ments?” asked Tim, curiously, “That is none of your affairs. don’t mind telling you. You see that fire. Do you suppose that I keep up such a blaze on a w a ORY. for amusement? I will show you pe he, th eit the table with ck tied the box on the table with a qui ataenakts Out rolled the gold, and a Oh as of folded papers which lay beneath them. Pick- up the box he laid it carefully on the blazing “ Tt don’t pay to keep suspicious things about,” he declared. ‘As for the papers—” he seized a hapere of them. ‘ We’ve got to keep the fire going. | He was about to dash them into the blaze, Ma caught bis arm with a flerce gripe. ‘We’ll have that thousand first, my sharp cove. D’yes’posel’d trust ye arter them docky- ymca has been burnt? Not muce!:!” ‘‘ Allright, Jerry! Come this way, and we'll settle that trifle of business,” He rose and led the way to the door. However I CHAPTER XI. MICKEY IN A NEW LINE OF TRADE, Hap the shrewd villains had the slightest inkling ef certain events that were just then taking place outsikle, the than leave the room at that minute. To trace these events we must go back to the youthful spies whom we left on guard duty in the street outside. house unsuspected, yet Mickey's busy brain was fer- tile in expedients, and he was not the boy to the enterprise without an effort at success. In fact, would have cut off their hands rather | | $C -_——— | as let Jerry in?” “ No.”’ ** I did then, and she looks stupider nor a monkey. She's jist the gal to play a trick on. Jist keep quiet now till l study it up a bit.” At that moment a boy appeared further down the street with a tin pan on top of his head, while the cry of ** marble-sand ”’ rung loudly out from his lips. ickey gave a sharp glance at the clean white marble steps of the house under surveillance, and another at the itinerant street vender, and an idea shot like an inspiration into his active brain. “Stay here, Joe,” he ordered, *' I'll be back in a jiffy.”’ He darted off like an arrow down the street, and Joe, who curiously followed him with his eyes, saw him soon ip earnest conversation with the marble- sand merchant, What passed was, of course, out of Joe’s hearing, but he saw the pan of sand transferred, after a few minutes, to Mickey's head, and the former salesman go off empty-handed. Mickey took to his new vocation like a fish to wa- ter, and came along the street yelling ‘* marble- sand!” in stentorian tenes. ‘*Bought the feller out, pan and all,’’ he declared to Joe. “Got it cheap, too. Wholesale rates.— Mame nena! sand! sand! Who wants marble- sand !’’ The street rung with his mu ical yells. ‘*I don’t see what you're after,” cried Joe. ‘* What's that got to do with getting into that house?" ‘** Dunno if ther’s anything in it, but it’s wuth try- in’. See yere, Joe, don’t you sp’ile nothin’ by dum ness. Jist you foller my lead, square through.”’ He led the way, as he spoke, to the opposite side of the street, and boldly rung the bell of the house in question, **Come up here,” he cried to Joe. * Andif I lets out a lie or two, don't you git on yer ear ‘bout it. ‘Tain't right, I s'’pose, but you ain’t ‘sponsible.”’ The ring was ES arse answered by the girl, who had indeed, as Mickey had declared, an expression of stupid good nature. Butan angry look came into her face on seeing who had rung. ** What do r Byes mean by bringing me to the door?”’ sheexclaimed. “I heard you yelling, and I'd have conn if | wanted any. Don't you ever ring that bell again.”’ She was on pe pane of slamming the door in the boys’ faces, but Mickey hastened to get in a word It's yer pretty clean white steps as made me ring,’’ he declared. ‘I ain't seen the like along the whole street, and I said ‘that’s the house where there's the gal that I’m arter.’ Hope you'll '.cuse ine see ringin’, but I wanted to see you, that's a “Hold your tongue, you blarneying young Irish- man,’’ said the irl, considerably mollified. “I don’t want no sand, so you can save your trouble.”’ ** But I'll sell it as cheap as dirt,’’ persisted Mickey. ** We's a pair of poor orphans, we is. And ther's not a bite to eat in the bouse, And the baby ain’t even got a bit o' gum to chew, And—and when I see’d yer purty face I said: ‘There’s a charitable my 8 Won't you buy some sand from a poor boy, as’ll sell it dog cheap?’’ ‘* What’s the use of buying what I don’t want?"' * You kin have it all fur a quarter.”’ **No,’’ she shook her head. ‘** You kin have it for ten cents, if yell guv me and my little brother a crust of bread in the bargain.”’ 1e girl looked again. It was certainly dog cheap, as Mickey had declared. ‘ “Here, | knowed you'd take it.” He pushed into the house without further invitation. ‘“‘ l wants that ten cents to buy bread for mammy and the baby, and ye’re goin’ to guy Joe and me something to eat. And yer a good lady.”’ - tae? stop!” cried the girl. ‘ I don’t want your sand. Butif you’re so hungry I won't mind givi you a piece of bread. You're not lying, are you? **Do I look as if Iwas lying?’ asked Mickey in- dignantly, as he continued to push forward toward the kitchen, ‘* Come, Joe, we’s got to show this kind lady that we’re hungry.”’ As neither of the boys had had any dinner the were in good trim to prove the truth of Mickey's assertion. The girl made no further objection, but »ermitted the boys to make their way to the kitchen, ickey’s compliments had touched her stupid soul. The kitchen gained his voluble tongue soon won her over, not only to a good meal fer him and Joe, but also to the purchase of his stock in trade, ‘** It’s the best sand in the market,”’ he declared. *°Tain’t only good toclean steps, but you kin polish yer knives and clean yer purty teeth with it. And some folks mixes it with the flour, to make their bread come out white.”’ The girl opened her eyes. how useful marble sand might be. She had not known Mickey saw that he bad made an impression, and he ran on witha It looked like a hopeless thought to get into that | | ve up | ' | lie had not waited for the advent of all the burglars | io put bis plan in operation “Tt's jist this way. Joe,” he explained to his ad- | miring partner, ‘'Ther’s fun goin’ on inside that there shanty, I’m kinder fond of fun, and I'd like to take a squint atit. I s’pose we mought put the police on the track, but they wouldn't find nothin’. dozen other impossible uses. Joe opened his eyes in surprise and alarm at the unblushing venality of his companion, ** Now, Mickey,’’ he began, in strong deprecation, “vou know—”’ | ‘* Hold yer tongue, Joe,’’ commanded Mickey. ** Don’t you bé tellin’ the lady no lies ‘bout marble sand. Jist you stick to the truth, like me. If you can’t stick to the truth, hold yer tongue!" Joe was silenced. esi py the quite taken the wind out of his sails. If latter had declared Caress pee tvecidienandlidinhetionndiensapenentelltnettentnapnietapipapeapmapenpoate now that cream cheese could be made of marble sand, Joe would have mop: aee- Mickey’s impu- dence had utterly demoralized him. ‘I'm going to run right home and buy somethin’ to eat for mammy and the baby with this ten cents," declared Mickey. the pan, ‘cause we ain’t givin’ that in, Good-by ’ ma’am. Guess you'll ’scuse me.”’ Without waiting for a reply he was off like a flash, | and the next nAnute the front door was heard to slam by the tenants of the kitchen, Joe listened in mas yr What had Mickey left the house for? He was slightly mistaken. Mickey had not left the house, and had not the least intention of doing SO. tended to throw suspicion off the track. Instead of leaving the house he was now crouched upon the stairs, which he was cautfously ascending in a bent and half-creeping attitude. Just what was before him was as yet entirely in the dark. He was satisfied that the burglars were in consultation In some of the upper rooms of thea” house, and to locate them was the first step in hiy# “Yen stay yere, Joe, and empty! The slam given the door was a mere dodge in-9r a difficult task. th Mickey's hearing was very acute, and he now, heard voices which seemed to come from the réar. room at the head of the stairs. T ey seemed, in-» deed, to be approaching, and he heard -the door-* handle sharply turn, as if some one was about to Jeave the room. 4 Discovery seemed imminent. It was too late to retreat. If the burglars should come down-stairs he, would inevitably be caught. But ‘‘ never despair", is a good motto. The stairs were dark, and Mickey) crouched: down close to the wall and took the’ chances, At the same instant the door opened, and severa 5 men stepped out upon the “This way, Jerry, you have ways found me sharp up to my bar { ng. j we'll soon fix that. I fancy, g ( ‘**I know I'm allers slap up to mine,’ came to the’ boy’s ears. ‘‘ Hand over the swag and I'll never ax ye for it twice; that’s me.” Mickey's heart had sunk for a moment, as these! voices sounded almost in his ears. It leaped agair; when he found that, instead of descending the stairs, they were moving along the passage to the foot o the next flight. / Not an eye had been cast down to the shadowy , t in which he was crouching. In a moment more” the feet of the men sounded on the stairs leading to! the third floor. { For the present all was well. But there ht be: not a minute to lose. He was on his feet with tho, agility of a cat, and s noiselessly upward tc the room which the men had just left. here art , occasions in which minutes count like hours, ano'® this was one of them. - . The door had been left on the crack. Mickey‘ pushed it boldly open, satisfied that the room wax ouMNy = He had not failed to observe that thre, men left it, and three was the limit which h, , carried in bis mind. A quick glance of the eye took in all the particu ' lars of the apartment, the desk, the chairs around ! the table, the heap upon i hard-wood box nc w freely b upon its red coals. the grate fire, and the | He sprung nimbly in and hastened to the table. The heap upon it took form as he ap bundle of closely folded, and severe Jeoking docu- ments, and beside it a loose peep of gold that held the boy’s eyes as if by fascination. He had never seen so much money in his life before. He would hardly have believed that so much money existe ed, A, so monstrous seemed the heap to his unaccustomed, eyes, Yet in the midst of his fascination, and even while he was batbing his feverish hands in the gold, as one might bathe them in the coo) waters of Eden, thought through the mystery. ‘‘Tt's the stelen swag,” he told himself. * Andad lawsee! ain't there lashin’s of it? That’s the box asd I wonder if these pa‘ it was in, burnin’ on the fire. pers ain't goin’ there next? The newspapers said‘ that the dockyments was a good deal more vallyble nor the cash. Wonder what's in’em? 'Phat’s a fat one, anyhow. It oughter be boss of the pile." He removed his hands, somewhat reluctantly from the gold, and took up the document which had attracted his attention. It rustled with S crecmey sound in his hands. It was parchment, in fact, though Mickey was quife unaware of the existence’ of any such mat«ral. He opened a fold of it, and azed with wondering eyes upon the closély written nes within. The boy might well have been parconed for slight-. ly forgetting himseif in the rush of new sensations which had come upon him. He had lingered longer in the room than he was aware of, and was debating in his mind whether he had not best snatch up the whole bundle of documents and beat a hasty retreat, when sudden alarming sounds came to his ears. The burglars were returning! They were descend- ing the stairs! It was too late to fly! He looked around him like a cornered cat. were the windows of the room. Should heriska leap from that dangerous elevation? There was a closet in the opposite corner. Not asecond could; be spared in doubt. The closet offered the only: ace of concealment. He darted for it with a light but hasty step. The parchment document which he: had been examining was still in his hands, e closet proved to be a deep and roomy cne, oc- cupying the space under a back stairway, and cffer- ing a low corner into which he could crouch. fre was none too soon. Hardly bad be dissrpea>- ed, ere the door opened and the three Lurglars re-entered the rcom, Gomichbooks (E 4 | was busy in his brain’ His mind was feeliag its waynid f There: 4 com