Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 483 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

ems eee ow theater,” said one, and with this in view as a consolation, Foxey sought his cot and was soon fast asleep. He was up betimes, and having had his break- fast, as Wizard Will bad not come in town, he sought Captain Daly and made known his dis- covery of Flora, the Flower Girl, and her dis- appearance, at the same time showing the hat and circular. **T will go to the court with you, Foxey, for you to appear against those two scoundrels, and by that time Wil! will arrive, and you can go together to the theater to find out about this strange Flower Girl,” and Captain Daly ac- companied Foxey to the Police Court, where the two highwaymen were to be brought up for ex- amination. Captain Daly’s presence with Foxey got him recognition by the Court, and he told his story of what he had heard the two men say, and how he had gone up-town on the same car with the Flower Girl, joined her, got her to let him have her cloak and hat and then the approach of the twe men, His Honor listened attentively to the story, Captain Daly vouched for the young detective, aA as the two men were old offenders, they were made short work of and sent off to jail. As Foxey was leaving the Police Court with Maptaix. Daly, Wizard Will joined them, for word had been left for him where to come. Will had just come in from home, and he told Captain Daly and Foxey of the midnight in- truder into the cottage, who had so alarmed his mother, and he added: ‘‘T shall try and entrap him to-night, for it must be some one who knows all about our movements, so I will telegraph mother that J cannot come out, and he may thus make another visit, while I will go out on a train after dark with some of my bors, and lay in wait for the rascal.” ** Always ready with a good plan in that shrewd head of yours, Will, and I hope you may catch the scamp, whoever he is; but what are te going to do about this mysterious Flower irl?” wo. ‘‘T will go to the theater with Foxey and see ; ' a] if we can get her address; but if not, we will have to wait until night, when she will have to come to the theater to play, and Foxey can see her then.” So saying, the boys walked off on their way to the theater, and arriving there, Will went up a to box-office and said: 4 ‘*May I ask, sir, the address of Miss Flora Dale, of your company?” f ‘‘Tt is contrary to rule to give the address of f It is very important, sir, for me to see Miss Dale.” é if ‘¢T cannot break through the rule, sir; but is ar ae not that young man a brother ‘of Miss Dale?” : “apa and he pointed to Foxey, “Otay ‘*Oh no, sir.” * “a ‘He looks enough like her to be.” t ‘As you do not comply with my request, sir, I shal] have to ask you to do so on this au- , | thority!” and Wizard Will unbuttoned his coat ule and showed his insignia of office, as Special Police, United States Marshal, Secret Service Officer and Chief of the Beye Detective League. Ne The box-office man looked amazed, and his a sour pds for the youth rose rapidly, while he . said: “Of course I did not know you as an officer, sir, or oy one so young of being a detective; but may | ask if Miss Dale has done aught that is wrong?” ‘* My reason for finding her, sir, was that two scamps knew that she was paid off last night, Sere and took a stand on the street where she lives to Prt waylay her on her way home. 5 ‘“My friend here knows Miss Dale well, and overheard their little game, so he warned her as she got off the car, borrowed her bonnet and circular, which he has in that bundle, and cap- tured the two men.” SS our people without their permission,” was the re- The Ferrets Afloat. ** Won’t she play here any more?” ** No; she offered to pay us a bonus to release her, but we did not demand it, as we felt as- sured she had some good reason for her action from what she said.” ‘*T cannot understand it,” said Will. ‘* Ske was doubtless afraid to be out alone at night, after last night’s experience.” ‘She is no coward, sir, as I have reason to know; but if you will kindly give me her ad- dress I will go up and see what was her mo- tive.” ‘‘ Here is her address, Number one hundred and seven West —th strect.” ‘* Thank you, sir; I will stop and tell you if I discover anything of interest about her.” ‘*Do so; and whenever you and your friend have a night off, drop in and see the play, for I will always be able to find you seats—my name is Walter Sinn.” ‘Thank you, Mr. Sinn,” returned Will; and taking a car, the two young ferrets went in search of number one hundred and seven, The place was easily found; but not so Flora, the Flower Girl, for the landlady told them pee she had left, bag and baggage, an hour be- Ore, ‘“Do you know where she went, madam?’ asked Will. ‘No; she did not say.” ** She drove away?” ‘“'Yes, in a carriage.” “Who got the carriage for her?” “She returned in it,” ‘Which way did it go, or do you know, madam?” ‘* Around the correr yonder, and up-town.” a Thank you, madam,” and the boys depart- ed. ‘“ Foxey.” , ‘** Yes, Cap’n Billy.” ‘This is strange.” ‘* ft is.” ** She does not intend to be found out,” ‘* It seems so.” ‘*She must be found, though.” ‘* Sure.” ** Will you undertake it?” ** Pll do it, Cap’n Billy.” ‘* Let us go back to the theater and see if she went there in a carriage, for if not, she either got one upon the stand near there, or at one of the livery stables on her way up.” ** Sure.” et W ell, you have that much to work on, Fox- ey. ‘*Tt’s more then I had before, Cap’n Billy,” ** And yet you found her?” ** Yes, and let me tell you something strange, pal o’ mine,” ‘What is it, Foxey?”’ “She sung an operatic piece last night, and they encored her, and when ske came out again she sung a ballad, Annie Laurie, and they brought her out again. ‘Then she made me jump, and make a foolof myself, for she sung a song I never heard but one person sing, and that was my mother, and she taught it to me when I was but five years old, and I have never forgotten it.” ‘This was strange, Foxey; but may I ask you a question?” ** Ask’ ByTAy.. ‘Why is it, when you talk so earnestly, you always drow into the street dialect and slang?” ‘Gosh! does 1” and Foxey was himself again. ‘Yes, you do, and sometimes I think you are not what you say you are,” ‘“‘T’m only a poor vagabond, Billy, a waif you picked up and are making a man of; but here’s ther theater.” Inquiry at the office of Mr. Sinn showed that the Flower Girl had not come to the theater in a carriage, but the stage doorkeeper said that the young girl had come there and packed up her theatrical avardrohe, and then going off, had re- turned soon after with a carriage to take them away in “That settles it, Foxey, and you have your CHAPTER XVI | WIZARD WILL’S VOW. Wizarp WILL had been most anxious about his mother during the entire day, for in her ex- citement the night before, he had seen how ill she really was. The coming of Pearl had alarmed Will, and he hastened to catch the last train back home, — ‘Arriving at the depot they found old Joe awailing them, and they were surprised at what he told them. He had said: ‘‘Tiza done been up to de village, Massa Will arter med’cine ther new doctor sent her for, an I guesses ef we hurries the cle horse we overtakes her, ‘* What new doctor, Uncle Joe?” asked Will, ‘‘ Ther one thet came then, sth, and when he poase Missy Pearl done gone, he sent ’Liza to the village,” ‘*T can’t think who he can be, Uncle Joe, and I fear mother may be worse, so push atead as fast as you can,” Tt was now dark and Joe made the old horse go at a pace that surprised num, Just as they came in sight of the avnege they a-sed ’Liza, but as it was so near they did not ake hor in, at arte is with mother, Aunt Eliza?” called out ill. ‘*The doctor, sah,” came the answer after them, and Will sprung out and dashed into the house, leaving Pear] to follow. | No light was visible, and entering the parlor he called to his mother. No answer came, and he took a match from his pocket, and turning to the table, upon which stood a lamp, he lighted it. Then he turned to enter his mother’s room ad- joining and which also was dark; but as he did so, he heard a loud shriek behind him, and bounding into the parlor Pearl cried: ‘* Brother! oh, brother!” Then his eyes fell upon the form of his mother lying near the window, and the sight sent the blood surging through his heart in torrents, In an instant he was kneeling by her side, and a cry escaped his lips as he saw that she was dead. ‘* Dead! dead! and she has been murdered!” Such were his words, and the brave boy bent low over the prostrate form and burst into tears. be Softly to his side crept Pearl, and kneelin there she covered her face with her hands an sobbed bitter y. The old negroes, alarmed by the cry of Pearl, now came in and stood in the doorway, a look of horror upon their faces, A moment thus of painful silence, and then Wizard Will rose to his feet. Then, in a voice hoarse with grief and passion ~, he gin er one hand at the body, by which Pear i still knelt, and with the other raised above, he Se said: ‘* Mother, you have heen murdered, but so help me God, I vow to track your murderer to the gallows!” ‘ Amen!” camein fervent tones from old Joe and Eliza, who stood in the doorway, and while the old negress advanced and led Pearl away, Wizard Will and Joe raised the body of the murdered woman and placed it in her room, ‘‘Now, Joe, drive right back to the village and paper! what has been done, and send for me two telegrams,” and Wizard W il hastily wrote a telegram to Foxey and another to ‘Captain ney asking them to come right out to the cot- age, Then leaving the body in the care of old Eliza, Will called to Pearl to accompany him, and the two walked out together. ‘‘ Pearl, what time did you leave this after- — noon?” he asked, NS) a a “ On the six o’clock train, brother,” | 4 “You left Eliza with mother?” sre ‘‘ No, I went by the cabin to tell her to goto | mother, and she was making bread, and said she “ hf ‘The deuce he did! Why, you are a game | clew, wou'd go right down to the cottage ” Pete ae Hate pair!” said the delighted box-office man. ‘“Now I leave you to follow it, while I go ‘‘Did mother seem much worse thanwhenI Nig ‘Thank you,” and Will smiled, and con- | down to the quarters and pick nry men to goout } left this morning?” es Moye tinued: home with me to try and catch that midnight ‘She appeared strangely nervous, and when ~ n 5 ‘ae & ‘* When he gave the scamps over to a police- | visitor who was at the cottage last night.” your telegram came, she said that she could nob Se agite man, my friend tried to find Miss Dale to return Then the two friends separated, and Wizard | spend a night without your being here.” So yet oat. her hat and cloak, but she had gone, so we came | Will telegraphed his mother not to expect him ‘“ Who brought the telegram?” o LA i fe here to find her.” home, and then set to work to get four boys from ‘« Johnny, the messenger boy,” . oN ee ae ‘That is a strange story, and yet it gives no | the League to go out with him after dark. ‘Did you see any stranger about the villageor © station.” ‘‘No, brother, but I saw a sail-boat @ eat-rig, with one man in it, pass up the river before the telegram came, and it was very close inshore,” wey ill pondered a moment, and then returneh solution, other than fear, of Miss Dale’s action this morning, for she was here an hour ago, paid back her salary earned during the two weeks she was with us, and severed her engage- ment.” As he was talking to Captain Daly at the po- lice station, to his surprise and alarm bis sister Pearl entered, and be learned that his mother needed him, and the two started homeward at once, little dreaming what a scene awaited them f ie rr ——— ee eee — = Wil: was now astounded, and Foxey said: in the little cottage, to the cottage. a a 7 | . ae we eget : . * x 2 a ale " nity 6; ae ‘ >i ” 2 ¥ ye , “be ‘ ¥ ‘ i is ee wo ae af *, at oem f whet f 7 5 wmey be . -- " * > *. a] ’ , ymicbooks.com oy oily xm of : 4 tid » A > j a ~*~ i Pet r P ‘ } Aq cull ¥ : Ft . ’ J y. 7 ay » ag ex ae ee” - <4. “7, - , a ,