Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 452 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

‘¢ You didn’t hear them speak?” ac No.” ‘¢ Nor learn their names?’ ce Nixy. pb | “T can’t imagine who they were,” said Well- burn, witha tioughtful frown. “‘A man and woman, following meat that hour of the night. Td give a good deal to know who they were,” ‘Wal, l’ve done aright smart lot o’ detective work in my day, boss—mebbe you've heern tell « ther detective firm 0’ B. Bowery, Vidoeq & (o.?—an’ iv’s possible I kin eloocidate this measly case,” ‘‘ You look shrewd enough for it,” ‘Tuck will discount shrewdness, ev’ry day, an’ Tm a reg’lar Cinderella fer luck. I ain’t romancin’ any when I say I’ve did a heap 0’ de- tective work, an’ I'd like a hack at them ’ere in- <tividooals.” ‘Perhaps Dll give you the chance, but, first »f all, I want you inmy house—to watch my own famil yl” ‘+ Bh?” The cashier repeated the statement. ‘Strikes me thet’s sorter a ree-markable «leal.” “Itis, but I am led toit by unusual causes, Perhaps you wonder why I select you, rather than a grown person, or @ regular detective— ‘‘Nota tall. You think nobody’d s’pect me o’ bein’ a detective,” shrewdly replied Bob. “Tf you can carry out your pers as astutely as ‘you have guessed it, you will do well.” ‘‘T never do wuss—not fer Joseph!” “You may consider yourself en nly hope you realize the extent to w trusting you.” ‘“T should, ef I knowed yer little game,” replied Bob, aogeeively. sé At me?” ! ‘‘Not fer Joseph! Hope I don’t look like a traitor.. D’ye observe auzht in my classic fea- tur’s ter remind ye o’ Judas Scar’emout! Ismy name Simon Girty, white Injun, ter wit, name- ty? Nixey! Not much!” “This defense was made in a free, airy way, but it impressed Wellburn more than an earnest élenial would have done. He had caught at Bob in a sort of desperation; if the boy served him well the whole course of his life might be «hanged; if he proved false, the struggle would simpls be given up. = e had not arrived at the decision that a more likely-looking detective would a failure with- eut mature thought. All depended on the boy. | Having arrived ata decision he took him to various establishments and fitted him out witha plain, serviceable suit of clothes and other things to match, to all of which Bob graciously con- sented. Several times during the tour he chuckled aloud, and Wellburn thought it was with joy at quens decent garments in place of his rags, We the boy was mentally inquiring: ‘ot would his nibs say ef he knowed I was a heavy depositor in his Savings Bank? Guess bee make me buy my own purple an’ fine inen. He was finally fitted out, and then they started for the cashier’s house, ‘““T may as well tell you,” said Wellburn, ‘that [ am not on good terms with the greater part of my family. There is no love lost be- tween me On One side, and my wife and son, Edward, on the other. The same remark will apply to my wife's niece, Olive Pray. All are against me, and all will probably be against rou.’ J ag Wal, ef thar ain’t mor’n three on’em, I don’t keer a red—not fer Joseph. One 0’ my forefathers—his name were Sumson—once cleaned out a hull army 0” claim-jumpers in a mining town called—called—I don’t jest remem- ber ther name, but be knocked ’em sick an’ silly, an’ then pulled down the county court-house enter ’em, b’gosh!” Wellburn listened patiently, and then con- tinued: ‘‘T have one son; a boy of thirteen; whom I want you to like. He is the only one T care for, or who cares for me. strong, butit will be your work to care for him, and I hope you will do it well.” aged. I ich | am 4s “Pll be a granddad ter him,” Bob gravely as- | serted. ‘‘ Above all, I want you to keep the fact that you are there for a double purpose from the other members of the family.’ “You kin bet high, I will.” Still, I want vou to watch them.” ‘Tog’? so. I will.” “Thatis why I put you there. There are- | | } | | nur o’ Vassar; but He is unlike you, and not | things transpiring in my house which are not as 1 would have them, and, I believe, things of which I know nothing, In fact, there are mys- teries there which puzzle me. It will be your work to learn them.” Bob’s eyes fairly danced. ‘** Now, you talk hoss-sense, squire. Ef thar is any one thing I dote on, it is measly mysteries an’ gallus conspiracies. I feel myself growin’ fat wi’ joyful anticipation, a’ready, b’gosh!” Wellburn sighed and was silent for several seconds, after which he proceeded to give fur- ther directions. There was nothing in the state of his household affairs which pleased him as it did Bob; it was a wretched complication which he endured only for Willis’s sake. But for the boy, the unhappy cashier might before that day have sought rest from his trou- bles in the waters of the East river. By the time directions were fully given they were within sight of the house, and Wellburn prepared himself for the sturm he felt sure would follow his introduction of Bob to the household. He looked critically at the boy. He looked respectable and honest, but, Wellburn thought, the flavor of the street was still there, and the thin face had an expression of hawk- like keenness, ‘*T wish he showed his sharpness less, for she may suspect,” he thought, ‘‘but the venture must be made.” , Opening the door he conducted Bob to an ad- jacent room, and then rung fora servant and directed her to request her mistress’s presence in the room. Mrs. Wellburn soon came. There was a hard expression on her face, as though she anticipated another war of words, but she was not prepared to see Bob, aud she east you will not betray or turn against | paused and looked at him with some wonder, The cashier spoke quietly: ‘‘Mrs. Wellburn, this is a boy I have engaged as companion for Willis, His name is Robert Allen.” The latter fact was news to Hotspur Bob, but he made the mental observation that it was ‘sorter a toney handle, an’ would do fer a tem- porary cognermen,” and he also took pains to remember it. The lady looked at him freezingly. ‘*T am not sure that I understand,” she re- lied. < ‘‘T have carried out an old idea of mine, of having a companion for Willis. The boy is gentle, weak of body and inclined to be too studious. This lad will lead his mind to more practical matters, and try to interest him in athletic pleasures.” | ‘Do you propose to turn the house into a gym- nasium?” sarcastically inquired Mrs. Well- urn. ‘Very likely, one room will be thus ar- ranged,” was the uiet reply. ‘‘ Neither of the boys, however, Will make their sport annoying to others.” _ ‘‘ Where did you pick up this object?” The lady was stul looking at Bob in a hos- tile way, but he bore scrutiny and words com- posedly. ‘‘ He is a poor boy whom I wish to help.” ‘‘ He looks like a Bowery rough.” ‘Pardon me, you will find him anything else and, I am sure, will conduct himself with good ” ‘‘Then his looks belie him, for he seems like a graduate of the House of Correction, Has he no tongue in his head? If go, I'd like to hear him use it. Come, boy, what have you to say for yourself?” CHAPTER X, THE HOTSPUR IN THE MANSION. Gamin Bos, thus called upon, did not show any embarrassment whatever, He raised one hand an’ pulled the front lock of his hair in what he thought might possibly be an aristo- cratic way. : “Wal, mum, I ain’t overly given ter soundin’ my own bazoo, but ef a ’stificate o’ good ka-rak- ter is really necessary, I kin vouch fer myself ev'ry time. I ain't a graduate o’ Yale college, I kin read poetry right off kerslap, ef thar ain’t too many measly long wordsinit, Furdermore I’m a mighty personal frien’ o’ ther mayor, gov’nor an’ Sam Baxter, who drives a hoss-car on ther Bowery. I’m ther semor member 0’ ther firm 0’ B, Bowery, Stum- py & Co., peanut nabobs, an’ we sell ez good an article fer ther money ez you kin find. Thar ein’t no crooked stick about me, an’ my rame is Robert Allen—ter wit, namely, yer obedient sarvant an’ feller-citizen.” This long speech flowed serenely from the boy’s mouth, while Mrs, Wellburn listened in Hotspur Bob, the Street Boy Detective. 9 amazement. The cashier knew that Bob's ec- centricities were bound to crop out anyhow, and he let him talk. The Bowery boy wound up by pulling his hair again. ‘* What in the world are you talking about?” cried Mrs. Wellburn, shocked to that painful ex- tent usual to over-nice people. ‘Ther foregoin’ is a brief obituary notice o’ yer subscriber, mum. I admit it is lame in fine cetails, but this isa small edition, anyhow, an’ ther pale-face never gives ther abnormal heroics 0’ ther foe up fer argyment.” Still incomprehensible.” ‘* Don’t see why ye shculdn’t ketch on, mum, It’s cz plain ez ther wert on Bridget Moy nahan’s nose.” 7“ Boy, your talk savors too much of low life! ‘‘Goshall cranberry bushes! you don’t say so! I was suppcsin’ it were multitudinously sur- charged wi’ ther unadulterated essence o’ high- cockalorum, ’ristocratic heliogobalusness. m ight anxious to y lease, mum, fer I hev a wid- owed father an’ eight small sisters who look ter me fer grub an’ calico, an’ I’ve got to fling my buffs lively. Put ef I con’t use words o’ proper lengthitudinality, jest lemme git my chin inter the sacred precepts 0’ Webster’s boss dictionary, an’ [ll reel cff words ter-morrer that'll turn ther air blue an’ keep a dry-gcecds clerk busy E> ther time measurin’ them wi’ a yaréd-stick, osh!” n Mercy! whata creature!” cried the fine lady, holding up both hands. “ That’s a fact, mum, though I don’t went ter brag,” answered Bob, serenely. ‘“Mr. Wellburn, are we to have such a sav- age in the house?” The speaker turned venomously upon the cashier. She did not want any boy on the prem- ises who came es Bob seemed likely to come, and she really believed she had gocd grounds for requiring the ousting of any one who talked as this particular boy cid. “You mistake the situation wholly,” gravely returned Weliburn. ‘*‘ We cannot expect a poor boy wh m we emyloy to be like a child brought up on Murray Hill, and it is because young Robert is so different frcm Willis that I have en ployed him. He will prove a capital offset to W illis’s over-sctudicus ent sensitive nature.” ‘This boy certainly 1s not sensitive!” observed Mrs. Wellburn, with fine sarcasm. ‘ He is polite, in his way.” ‘Fortune save me from seeing any one else who is polite in a similar way.” Her manner was still aggressive, but Well- burn, never losing his temper, was quietly per- sistent, and she really did not think best to insist cn keeping Pob cut. No decision bed teen reached in Olive Pray’s case, and, as Vrs, Wellburn did not suspect that Bob was to be intrcduced for a double motive, she mentally cecided that it would be just as well to waive the point. She therefore yielded with a degree cf gra- ciousness, and tock her departure. Wellburn then announced that he would show Bob his new quarters, and the Jatter was con- ducted to a small room on the third ficor, which he found all that he could desire. He was, however, anxicus on one point. ‘‘T sav, mister, w’ot surt 0’ a impression d’ye spose I made?” ‘“*Oh, you did well enough.” =. shing in al] ther eloquence I could ketch onter in a off-hand way, but I'll do better next time or bu’st Noah Webster’s dictionary all ter smesh,” ‘‘Don’t worry about long words, they are of no account. rs. Wellburn does rot use them, and it is not good taste to overburden conversa- tion with them. Naturally, she is not greatly leased at your coming, and willshow it more or ess every day, 1 care say, but you bave only to act vour natural self and remain cool.” 4a Jes’ co.” ‘Will you pow see my son?” “Sartin’. Trot him in!” Wellburn went out, but soon returned leading Willis. He bad already explained to the boy what the’ new arrival meant, and Willis was not greatly overjoyed. He cared more for books than boys. Still, it was not in bis gentle neture to oppose his father’s will, or to be disa greeable to any one, and he went up to Bob and held out bis thin hand frankly. ‘* How do you do, Robert” 7 oy toler’ble, casually speakin’. How be ou . “Tm as well as usual.” ‘Glad on’t, b’gracious,”