Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 470 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

a a K A a : 17 'm, wean ~‘“" : > > = 4 wh 4 Moses did not see the rascal move off; he saw nothing but the sweeping profits on a pair of pants, if not on a whole suit. The customer was a peregn aprarently about thirty-five years old. is figure, which was slightly above the usual hight, was well built; his breadth of shouldersindicated great strength, his movements agility, and his eyes, which were black, keenness and bravery. He was not overly well dressed, and Moses was ready to declare that he needed a whole suit. ‘‘ Now, my fr’ent, here is clothes fit for der gods,” exclaimed the Jew, waving his hand, which had one missing finger, at the contents of counters.and snelves. ‘‘I vill proceed ter sell you a bair of bants or a suit vat vill oxcite der millionaires of Broad and Wall. Take off dat coat and try on dis. It stood me at dirty tollar, May I die in my ped to-night, if it didn’t! but as it is you vot vants it, I vill let it go, with bants an’ vest, at eighteen, ef [ go to der boor- house to-morrow.” If the customer had not offered resistance, Moses would have divested him of his coat in a moment. ‘*See bere! I don’t propose to be stripped like a convict!” flashed the man. ‘I didn’t come here to be crowded into a moth-nest.” ‘Moth, my fr’ent! Weeping Rachel, my son Tsaac bought der goods and oxamined ’em before dey let der London house. Dis bootiful coat vas made for you.” ‘¢ Moses Meek,” said the man, and his hand fell upon the Jew’s arm and tightened there. ‘‘ Who was that man in front of your store when I came up?” The Baxter street clothier suddenly grew a trifle paler, ‘Vat man?” he asked, “You know! Wasn’t it Harris Hotspur for the present, Harris Hodge?” “_ ‘‘Grave of Joseph, no!” eried Moses. ‘‘ Dat man keeps a grocery on Grand street,” The customer laughed, aud his dark eyes twinkle but the gleam of merriment soon ‘‘That fellow was Harris Hotspur and you know it,” he said, solemnlv. ‘ Moses, I want to see you privately a minute, Let’s go into your little room,” “Thaf none. My store is my office!” ‘*Do-you want me to throw you through the door of that little room which begins at the end of this?’ was the retort. ‘‘I am one of these men who are not to be trifled with. Will you go peaceably, Moses, or shall I take you to the room?” ‘‘T vill go,” said the Jew, meekly. The two men moved down the narrow aisle between the counters, and although the stranger released Moses’s arm, his eyes appeared. to look him through. re | | Moses feared the man, but all at once his eyes flashed as if for oy | Did he think of the button in the wall? Without a word he led the way to the treas- ure room and the two walked in. ‘‘ Now, my fr’ent, vat is it?” asked the Jew, “Simply this: I want. the iding-place of ‘Mark Morey, the Broad street Nabob! Iam a man-hunter. I am Shrewd Simpson!” A terrible cry rose from the Jew’s lips; he fairly staggered tothe wall, ‘Keep your hands down!” said the unmasked man, coolly. ‘‘If you lift them to touch the infamous button above your head, Pll give the coroner a job!” CHAPTER IV. FELIX ON THE TRAIL, Prerazaps the terrified Jew wondered at this moment why the man instead of the Dye bad come. He had been told to look out for Felix Fox, and Harris Hodge had not said a word about this cool fellow who called himself Shrewd Simpson, It was a confrontation totally unlooked for, and Moses Meek seemed to have lost his breath while he leaned in fright against the wall. Shrewd Simpson! He heard the name before, but he had never seen its owner, Moses was one of the most notorious ** fences” who inhabited that quarter of the city, and it was his duty to keep posted on the police and detectives, but here was one who stood in his treasure-room and a man who knew about the button in-the wall and about the mystery of the Broad street broker. It was some moments before the Jew found his RapEHe fter the visitor’s last words. ‘‘ Vat.do I know about dot Broad street man? Noding! pon my birthright, Meester Sim I knows nodings apout him. Iam only a poor pson,. eet te Saal teva scin ae GR EAT AGRE ACNE PEGE RINE, 2 TN LI TS AMAL LE I EP ssi TRATES. Se The Boy Shadow. Jew vat sells clodings to keep his little family from de boor-house, an’—” ‘*T can’t stand here and listen to lies like that,” interrupted Shrewd Simpson. ‘‘ A poor and honest Jew doesn’t have a fellow like Harris Hotspur about his establishment. I have never failed ona trail, I have the dead wood on the gang that worked the Broad street lay. Come, Moses, play fair and save your neck.” ‘*T know nodings,” persisted Moses. ‘ I can prove py my vife Sarah dot I knows nodings about dot Broad street panker. Sarah!” He called his wife before Shrewd Simpson could interfere, and the next moment there were feet on the stairs that led upward to the little room, The detective’s countenance showed that he did not want to be interfered with by a woman just at that time, but he saw that it was one of the unpreventable events, and he was forced to abide by it. In a minute the little stair-door was burst open, and a veritable giantess made her appear- ance, ‘Sarah, dot man says I know apout der Broad street panker vot is missing,” said Moses instant- ly appealing to his wife as he pointed at the de- tective. ‘*Do you?” flashed the Jewess, and despite her bulk, she cleared the two last steps at a single bound and came toward Shrewd Simpson like a springing tigress. The ee York detective involuntarily. re- coiled; there was something both dangerous and ferocious about that woman. ‘Make him take dot pack, Sarah,” cried the Jew. ‘‘He would send us all to der prison, or der boor-house.” ‘** Keep off!” cried Simpson who had backed to the wall. “I didn’t expect to encounter a pythoness, but by the eternal! 1 will show no mercy if Tam touched.” He raised his hands in self-defense, but they were knocked down by the fury that confronted him, and the wife of Moses Meek was upon him before he could throw her off, “Dot ish right! Shoke der spy!” cried the Jew as he bounded to the woman’s assistance, and between the twain transformed into per- fect furies, Shrewd Simpson was pressed against the wall until he was ready to believe that he had walked into a den of lions. He struggled with all his might, but the in- furiated pair were too much for him. ‘Vat he say now, Sarah?” exclaimed the Jew looking into the flashing Wat of his wife, ‘“‘'Nodings, Moses ebbe dish man pe’s “Dead?” A sudden pallor overspread the Jew’s face, Sarah the tigress took her clinched hands with difficulty from, Shrewd Simpson’s. throat, and gotup. — Madsee took the lamp from its shelf.and held it with trembling hand over the human body that filled one corner of the room, ‘* Feel his pulse, Sarah?” he said in a whisper. The woman got down and placed her finger at the detective’s wrist. ‘It is dere yet, Moses, but very feeble,” she said looking up into the scared and anxious face of her husband. ] ‘* Shall ve revife him?” ‘* And go to Sing Sing? No!” was the response spoken without a second’s hesitation. ‘* He knows toomuch, Go out and watch the store,” ‘“* 'Vot you do?” asked the Jew as he hesitated. ‘‘Go and watch the store!” repeated the wo- man, ‘ Vat if somepody comes in who pe’s on dere lookout for Shrewd Simpson? Moses, py der grave of Joseph, ve are in der shadow of de gallows!” That declaration was enough to start the Jew, anda moment later he was in the store- room and among his motley array of goods. Composing himself as well as he could, he walked to the fror’ of the room and halted at the door. ‘*Dot poy isn’t goin’ ter come. I don’t vant him to drop in now,” he said to himself. ‘‘ Ven he does come—” Moses stopped suddenly, for a man had stopped before him, This person was well dressed and sported a short, full beard and green goggles, Moses seemed to recognize him at once, for his eyes gleamed with a strange light. ‘‘ Look here,” said the stranger in a whisper, which could be heard several feet from where the pair stood. ‘‘I want to tell you that a shrewd hoy called Felix Fox has taken the trail of the Broad street mystery, and you have to look sharp if Phitae, ont want him to win the game. If w hold out a few days longer < a , ; ‘ tm". ¥ t ‘ we'll get all we're playing for. Remember! look out for that boy. é 1s in this city.” The speaker’s hand fell from the Jew’s arm and he was gone in a moment, ‘‘IT knows you, Meester Marxe,” ejaculated Moses, following the retreating figure with his eye. ‘* You are Mark Morey’s bartner, an’ you pave a pig game, Ven it ish all over I vill ave a holdt on you, an’ may I never see Cheru- salem, if I don’t pull der strings mighty often!” Moses went back toward the little room and at the same time a boy rose from behind a counter laden with gocds and bounded into the street! ‘Can that really be Rogers Marxe, the Na- bob’s partner?” exclaimed the boy. ‘‘ I met him a short time ago with Estelle in her parlor. He is playing a deep game as the old Jew says. and I will find out what becomes of bim. Rogers Marxe in beard and goggles! That_is a new transformation for the Nabob’s partner, but Ill bet my head that it means more deep devilment than one can shake his finger at.” The boy, as the reader can easily guess, was Felix Fox, and he lost no time in spotting the man who had just left the Jew’s shop. If he had known what was transpiring at that © moment in a certain part of that building, he might not have followed the man in goggles with so much avidity. He led Felix a long chase, for he did not stop until he was in Broad street. ‘* He’s going to the office,” said the boy to himself. ‘‘I’m going to know what takes - ers Marxe there this time of night.” Sure enough, when the boy spotter came to a halt it was before a large building, between two of the second-story windows of which a little sign in gilt lettering bore the words: “MOREY & MARXE, PRIVATE BROKERS.” ** Just as I expected!” exclaimed Felix, as the man whom he had followed dodged into an open Seen “Tf I am not mistaken, I am gettang onto a clew that has bothered the best of the Bova.” Morey & Marxe had their office on the second floor. The business which they carried cn there had been established by the Nabob’s father, and he had left it to his son, who had increased the: fame and riches of the house. Rogers Marxe, the junior member, was shrewd in financial matters, and cunning in all. things. It was said that he was the accepted suitor of Estelle, and that the wedding had been postpaned by the mysterious disappearance of he Nabob, Be this as it may, the man was acting very strangely for an honest person. He would have: started if he had seen Felix Fox at his heels. The boy did not enter the hallway until a light in one of the upper windows told him that the brokers’ office was occupied.. Then he en- tered the building and crept softly up the ste As. he knew exactly where to find the office door he proceeded directly to it on tip-toe. It was locked, as he expected to find it. The boy halted at the door, and glanced up at the tran- som. ‘“‘Pve got to see what is going on in there,” he murmured. ‘I did not follow you for noth- mg, nosets Marxe.” ith a boy like Felix there were no obsta- cles that could not be overcome, ; He was the only persor corridor which was as still as death. He went to work atonce,. _ By standing on bis toes he could gresp the top of the door frame, and clutching it firmly, he drew his body up until his eyes Were above: the bottom of the transom. It was a stirring moment for the boy spy. Almost at the same time a man came up the stairs a few yards away, He mastered step by step with a stealthiness which showed that he was bent on mischief, 5 Felix meanwhile was looking into the broker’s. office by means of the transom, His body was” hanging along the door, and the sharp edge of the frame was cutting his fingers; but he had grated his teeth in aTresolve to stand it out, so- rece was he on the trai] he thought he had struck. wil 4 He saw Roger Marxe stooping before a large office safe which he had «just opened. The man had discarded beard. Felix saw him take from the safe a packet of $ n \ de ae 4 a OO ewe + the shrewdest fox ~ in the dimly lighted | the gog¢les, but still wore the Bi paper», which he concealed in an inner pocket: =e _——“ ae tn! Mee © * ode - Sk boi Nah