Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 428 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

: if Ei - ee eee es eee ee ee . ge ke ee > Lae 3 peared Fred’s shot, in the form of a startling paragraph, headed in large type, “Tos WAYS OF A WESTERN POLITICIAN!” it was a pungent expose of Bob Brierly and his political methods. Fred had managed to pick up many points in that gentleman’s his- tory, and he made of it a cutting story of ras- eality and trickery, in which every mode of dodging, and every style of underhand dishon- esty formed a part. He took good care, how- ever, not to allude to his wife. That was dan- gerous ground to tread on. ‘The article ended: ‘We learn that this Hovorai/e gentleman is now honoring our city with his presence. There has been no public ovation got up for him yet, which is surprising, since his pecvdiar political methods are not unknown to some of our city statesmen. We could easily name for him a band of brother-spirits without having to inspect the rol!-books of the penitentiary. If the honorable zentleman in ques- tion will call at this office, we shall be happy to give him a list of names. ihey might compare notes. Quite likely our Ring magnates might give him some useful points. Itis doubtful if he could teach them any new tricks in return. They are fully up in the art of dodging and grabbing.”’ ** That ought to fetch him,” cried Fred. he has a skin as thick as an elephant I bet he feels that. Look out, Mr. Brace. It’s going to be club or revolver.” CHAPTER XV. FRED NAILS HIS PREY. At two o’clock on the afternoon of the day in which the obnoxious paragraph appeared, a short, stout, red-faced individual stumped with heavy tread into the office of the Morning Star, his eyes blazing, his countenance inflamed with anger. ‘* Where is the editor of this paper?” he furi- ously demanded. ‘‘Just trot me out that in- fernal two-faced, white-livered son of a Rocky Mountain coyote, blast his gol-darned picture! Ive got a bit of business with that gentleman.” ‘““How do you do?’ exclaimed Mr. Brace, bustling politely up. ‘‘Glad to see you. Take a seat sir. Which editor would you like to see? City editor, country editor, local news editor, foreign item editor? Shall be glad to accommo- date you.” ‘*T want the dirty skunk that put that blazing lie in the paper about the Honorable Robert Brierly; that’s me, sir.” He swelled himself With importance. ‘‘Il want to make sour-krout out of that chap, and if I don’t do it, blast me! Trot him out, now. I’m going to interview him. Blame his ugly picture!” ‘‘ You don’t mean to say that you are the Honorable Robert Brierly?’ remarked Mr, Brace, in a tone of great reverence. ‘“ Tm just that individual.” ‘And you saw that unfortunate item? That was too bad. It was put in on the sly by our Western editor. He’s got a grudge against the party. Trying his prettiest to hurt it. Dis- charged him this morning. He’s off for Chi- cago. I am So sorry I didn’t know you were coming. I would certainly have kept him here till you could interview him.” ‘*That’s an infernal lie!” yelled the furious visitor, ‘* Trot him out, or Pll smash your of- fice! It’s a libel, and I’m going to make a stake out of your high-toned old paper. You hear me!’ ‘*Oh, that’s all right,” soothingly said Mr. Brace. ‘So this is the Honorable Robert Brier- ly? Iam glad you called on us while in the city. Have you been round among the authorities? I would be glad to introduce you.” ‘‘No. Dve been laying like a lame rat in the hospital, with a smashed leg, thanks to your devilish railroads. That’s another stake I’m go- ing tomake. I'll bleed that railroad.” “Have youa statement tomake? We shall be glad to print it,” cried Mr, Brace, seizing a n. “We'll make all right for that other un- ucky item.” ‘‘ But that’s in the paper yet.” “Oh, Vl fix that. Trustme. We can say in to-morrow’s edition that there was a mistake in the name. It was Jake Blodger, of Oregon, we meant. We can.whitewash you, Mr. Brierly, so our friends wouldn’t know you. Now what ave you got to say about that accident?” Fred Flyer sat in a corner, in full hearing of this conversation, but out of sight of the blus- tering visitor. ready to split at the way Mr. Brace played his trout. He had finally to stuff his hat in his mouth and steal away through a side door to prevent an explosion, ‘It’s richer than roast beef and gravy,” de- clared Fred. ‘‘ Ain’t he sold, though?” eee eee He laughed till his sides were | When Mr. Brierly left the office, thoroughly — . : el a — 4 < - 5 —— ee eee cooled down, an hour afterward, in company with Mr. Brace, who had invited him to imbibe at a neighboring saloon, Fred Flyer was not far in the rear. ‘Sorry I can’t give you an introduction to the mayor to-day,” said Mr. Brace, regretfully, as they parted at the saloon door. ‘* But you know how it is with us newspaper men, The minutes are hours with us. foe I'll have a chance some day. And when you're going West [ll give you the Chicago address of that runaway editor, Good-day, Mr. Brierly.” ‘*Tf 1 tumble on that fellow I'll be sudden death to his corporation. You hear that,” cried the irate Westerner. A lurking smile was on Mr. Brace’s coun- tenance as he turned away. ‘* When I take you to the mayor’s office, you hulking rogue,” he said, *‘it will be when the cows begin to give wine instead of milk.” Mr. Brierly walked away with an air of great importance. The editor’s praise had been sweet incense to his soul, and he felt ten feet higher than he had been an hour before, His injured leg was still weak, and he soon “Te | took refuge in a street-car, without noticing that a spry specimen of the city lad followed him. Fred stood on the rear platform, out of sight of his game, yet in readiness to shoot to the pavement at the first sign of Mr. Brierly’s leaving the car. It was at a considerable distance wp-town that the Westerner left the car. He looked cautiously around him on reaching the sidewalk, as if he had an inkling that he might be an ob- ject of observation. But he failed to see the youthful figure which was crowded into a deep doorway, quite out of sight. ‘* Prime,” said Fred to himself. ‘‘ He’s afeard of being followed. That shows ho’s got some deviltry afoot. But if he flings this coon off the track now [ll give him leave to punch my head. I’m going to stick to him like a sand-burr to a nigger’s wool. Mr. Brierly moved along the little-frequented street, looking about him in a wide-awake fashion that put Fred on his mettle. Instead of the latter walking onward in the usual manner he simply shot from door to door, hiding in each, and waiting the next opportunity for a break, Fortunately it was a street with deep doorways, in which he could readily conceal himself, Ten minutes of this exercise and Mr, Brierly was nailed. He stopped before a house in a narrow side-street, took a cautious look around and entered. He had not fairly disappeared ere Fred was at the door. ‘* Number 1089 Clinton street. That’s nailed,” cried Fred, ‘‘Got you holed, you _ripstaving old blackleg! And I’m going to get that wo- man out of your clutches, or something’s going to bu’st. But how’s it to be done? That’s the rub. | Got to get my thinking-cap on, sure Pop. red sought a neighboring strect, and seated himself on a fire-plug, with his feet against a lamp-post, and his cap drawn down over his eyes. He had a big job of thinking on hand, and wanted to get down to it comfortably. Meanwhile Mr. Brierly made his way into the house, and entered a rear room on the ground floor, where sata woman actively sewing. She was a hard-featured personage, enough like him- self to be a near relation. ‘“How’s the patient?” he asked. ‘‘ All right, ‘* She eh? Ain’t been no tantrums?” ‘*Quiet as a mouse,” was the answer. won’t cut up any shindig wiere I am, that I promise you. She’s a chicken-hearted creature, anyhow. I’d rather have somebody that it would be some credit to manage.” “That's all you know about it,” he growled in reply. ‘‘ Don’t tell me ’bout her being easy man- aged. Why, I’ve been squeezing for a week, and can’t get her to come to terms. She hangs on to that cash like grim death,” ‘Youre too soft-hearted, that’s what ails you,” remarked the woman, scornfully. od ' know if it had been me !’d have brung her before now.” ‘S You're welcome to the job then, if you want it,” he surlily answered. ‘‘ You ought to have been the man of the family, Liza, for you’re hard as iron.” ‘* Well for you you've got such a sister to help you out, or your game would fallthrough, Give 1er Over to me, Bob. I'll pinch her. But I won't do it without pay. ‘You're to give meashare of the spoils,” ‘*Go ahead, then. I’m sick of the job, any- how. Fetch her to terms, make her sign over the property, and I'll see that you get your divvy.” Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective. | | 13 — -_————— —--@ —_ —- —-- —- ee | In an upper room of the same house sat Mrs. Brierly, very sad and disconsolate, her soft face mournful, her eyes wet with unrepressed emo- tion. Yet behind all this show of weakness there was something else, a look of quiet but undaunt- ed resolution, which her brutal husband had in vain tried to break down. She pressed the child tightly to her breast, and looked with eyes of meters fondness into its face, ‘*Only for you, my angel,” she fondly re- marked, *‘ | could not fight against him—only for you. He might take and squander my for- tune at his will. But he shall not leave ycu a beggar. He may kill meif he will, but he shall not squander that which Iam saving for you. Ah, sweet! I would be willing to die and be done with this cold world, only that I must live for you, my darling!” The babe was sleeping in her arms. She nursed it awhile with fond affection. Then she laid it softly in the cradle, and took her seat at the window, her head resting wearily upon the sill, while her eyes were fixed hépelendl r upon the medley of roofs that alone were visible from her station. “Tf I could only escape,” she murmured. ‘*'Yet they keep me locked tightly here. And that woman is a veritable dragon. What has become of that kind-hearted boy? I should not have left the shelter he found me. I should have fought against it. What must he have thought when he returned and found me gone? Ah, I am too weak to deal with a world like this.” Her eyes wandered restlessly over the roofs before her. They were of hcuses in the next street, but the streets here were not very far esunder, Suddenly she gave a startled move- ment. A head had made its appearance over the edge of an adjoining roof, with a pair of sharp eyes keenly fixed on her face. She started back, yet it was but for a moment. There was‘’something familiar in thet face. A second lock and she clapped her hercs in joy. It was the well-remembered ccur- tenance of Fred Flyer. His shoulders now appeared, and then lis whole form, as he crept over the ridge cf the roof, and slid down the nearer side, letting hin - self drop to the roof of a shed below. He wes scarce twenty feet distant from her window. Fred made signs with his hands, but she tricd in vain to discover their meaning. It was worse than Greek to her. He continued his efforts, but stopped after awhile in impatient vexaticon. It was waste labor. She cénid not understand him, ‘* Hist!” he cried, in subdued tones, coast clear?” a Yes,” she answered, with the same caution. ‘What's he doing? And what am I to cc? Tell me quick, Can't we play some counter march on Bob Brierly?” ‘** He is prying to force me to settle my prop- erty on him, Lhave refused. I am determincd to Teer it for my child.” ‘ Why don’t you settle it en the baby, then, and discount the Honorable?” ‘““T would! Oh, I gladly would! I? Tam in prison here.” ‘That’s a mighty good notion, Leave it to me, Pm your hoss. Keep a stiff upper lip. ggg give an inch. Il settle his hash, ‘you Fred slid down from the shed and disappeared, All was silent again. She looked after him with eyes in which new hope beamed. ‘* Bless his sweet young face,” she murmured, ‘*T hope Heaven will reward him, as I cannot. He will save me yet, I know he will. He is so brave and kind.” The door of the room opened wiih a snap. Mrs. Brierly turned, expecting to see her hus- band. On the contrary, she beheld the harsh face of his stony-hearted sister. The woman ‘* Ts the But how can RPL LaeD stern y at her. 3 ‘* Well,” she coldly asked, ‘‘ are you ready yet: to come to your senses, and love, honar and obey your husband, as you promised at the al- tar?” ‘Yes, in everything that duty demands,” an- swered Mrs. Brierly, firmly. ‘Then duty commands you to sign that pe- per, Are you ready? Shall we bring tho atte ney? “Never. What have you to do-vith it, we- man? Is not one tyrant eneugh for me to deal with?” ‘* ve taken the job away from that chicken- hearted fool, that’s all. ‘You've been playing with him, madam, but you can’t play with me, You'll not see this brat again till you come te your senses,” TRIG “CO a 4 900