Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 485 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

“asked Cripps. ‘“‘lhave a family matter I want to speak to him about. You know his half-brother was married to my sister-in-law’s second cousin, so that Stretcher and I are relitions ” ‘**L didn’t know that, Jim, but of course if it is true you must love each other very much,” and Mooney’s grin was assuring, “You bot your boots we do! Blood is thicker than water, and Stretcher and I'd like to be together all the time.” ‘*What’s the time?’ asked a muffled voice from under a pile of heavy blanketsin a small cot bed, ten minutes later, as Mooney Baggs and Jim Cripps entered a room onthe second floor, where Stretcher Bull was kept as carefully guarded asif he were some precious work of art. **Oh, it’s early yet, Stretcher. Here’s a relative 0’ yours as wants to speak to you,”’ * Where?” Cripps walked forward with as ingratiating a smile as his balt-dow countenance could assume, and held out his hand to Stretcher, Stretcher’s response was to turn himself uround with a bounce, so that the back of his head was turned to the smiling Cripps. ‘*Don't seem very glad to see you, does he?” re- marked Mooney. Cripps bent down and touched Stretcher on the shoulder, ' ‘*Come, Stretcher, turn over and be sociable.”’ **Ain’t feeling sociable to-day, and don’t want nothin’ to say to you, anyhow. Let me alone and get out! [’mkept here shut up like a wild beast, and I ain’t good company for any one, After the 26th of July I'm going to quit rowing. There’s no money in it for se, and I don’t propose to work for others no more.”’ ‘*Say, Baggs, can t you let him come down stairs for a while to-night? Jt will make him feel good and won't do him no harm,” pleaded Cripps, ‘‘T dunno,” replied Bages. “Frank Burton left orders that he was not to go out o’ this room while he was away, and you know what Frauk is if you go back on his orders.” ** He wouldn't know nothin’ abouti . Keep Stretch- er up in one corner of the hall, Thenif Frank should happen in, we could sneak him up-stairs easily, and nobody would know.” *That’s what,’ putin Stretcher. “I ain’t had a drink since I was a kid, seems to me.” “Well, now, you don't get no drink. So that set- les iAvt,”’ declared Baggs. ‘At least, only soft drinks.” “All right. T con’t care,” returned Stretcher, “fas long as | get something to wet my tongue,” A stout, well-formed fellow was Stretcher Bull when he turned out of his cot bed and stood up in his trowsers and undershirt. The museles of his arms could be seen moving sinuously beneath the thin gauz:> of lis shirt-sleeves, and his mighty chest heaved in regular cadence, showing that his wind was in perfect order. ‘*You are in pretty good condition, ech, Stretcher?” asked Cripps, as he looked the oarsman up and down with a practical eye. “Oh, a trifle soft, but I'll stiffen up all right when I get to work in the boat,” was Stretcher’s reply, as he threw on a heavy sack coat. “They are sweat- ing down my weight and it tells on a man.” When the three men took their places in a retired corner of the hall down-stairs the red-nosed waiter was singing “Only a Pansy Blossom" with a nasal intonation that was very effective, but did not pro- cure him an encore. Then the masrer of ceremonies stepped on the stake and announced that professor Foldum of Chicago would wrestle three fails ‘* catch-as-catch- can” with any gentleman in the hall, A carpet was hastily spread on the stage and Pro- fessor Holdum himself, airily attired in white drawers and undershirt, and with bare feet, stepped on the stage, There was a silence, for Professor Holdum was known as a holy terror, and no one seemed anxious to tackle him. ‘Can't hi git a&mantoface me? Hi hassure you, gentlemen, won’t ’urt you,” the professor an- nounced, encouragingly. ~ “711 try it,’’ said a voice at the back of the hall. 4 Come hon, then, What’ll hit be for—love or money? “ Which you like,” ‘““No money on it, gentlemen, We only give ex- hibitions her «, remember,” called out the master of _ceremonies, suddenly appearing on the stage to say this, and then retiring, The hardy individual who thus offered himself as a prey for the professor, walked toward the stage, the center of all eyes. A youngster of eighteen, with blonde hair and short curls—in fact, no other than the young fellow who had referred to bimself as “‘Owney the Oarsman. ‘Looks tough as hickory,” was Stretcher’s com- ment, as Owney took his place on the stage in shirt and drawers, ready for the struggle. The wrestlers fell into the regulation position, each bending forward until their foreheads touched, while their hands moved stealthily but rapidly, as they ‘felt fora hold.” Suddenly the right hand of the professor shot out like lightning, and grasped Owney by the neck, while a twist of the professor’s foot took his antag- onist’s right leg from under him. The two fell to the floor, but Owney was not “thrown” in the technical sense of the word. Both shoulders and one hip, or both hips and one ghoulder must touch the floor before the referee would grant a “fall” to the professor, and this ap- to be more than he could force on Owney. “The two gladiators writhed and struggled in fierce EE LL OO lst NS | —eee contest on the floor of the stage. Sometimes the professor, with a tug, woukd get Owney on his back, but before he could push him flat down, the boy would “bridge” himself—that is, brace himself on his hands and heels—where he could bid defiance to the professor. “That boy is a good one, I tell you!” decided “Git Thar” Owney, the Unknown. ™ . a fallen his head being sufficient to crush out bis vigorous young life. Then he looked around as if expecting to meet some one, * Well?” It was a woman’: voice, * Nothing, so far,’’ replied the man as he turned around and saw. in the brig: t glare of an electric Stretcher, who was following every move in the | contest with deep interest. ‘* Who is he?”’ **Dunno,”’ answered Baggs, ‘* Never saw him hefore, But he is giving the professor a tussle, sure, ‘Hi, there! the boy has thrown him!’ yelled RDS, as a sto-m of applause broke from the crowd, ‘ One fall for the stranger,’’ announced the mas- ter of ceremoni s, and the two contestants sat down at opposite sides of the stage to get their wind for the second bout. “T thought I'd ‘git thar,’’’ the young athlete re- marked, ope more the professor and Owney faced each other. There was a dangerous gleam in the professor’s eye now. He did not like being laid low by a mere boy, and it was evident that he would try his utmost this time to turn the tables. In a few seconds the wrestlers were in each other's grasp again, tugging, pulling, twisting, panting. Owney had the professor down, under- neath, and was trying hard to push him back, when suddenly a little man with pinched features dashed on the stage and seized Owney by the back of the neck. At the same moment the professor, with a superhuman effort, lifted the boy off his feet, threw him over his head, and flung him, senseless, flat on his back on the stage, “Foul Foul!” shricked Stretcher Bull, as he broke away from Mooney Bages and Jim Cripps, and clearing the rope stretched across the stage ata bound, apray upon the little man. “Stand off!” warned the little man. who was no other than Scrawny Will. I am doing ”’ ‘*So do I,” retorted Stretcher Bull, as with one blow of his brawny fist he sent Scrawny flying across the stage. Stretcher was not to have it all his own way, how- ever. Jim Cripps, always spoiling for a fight, was on the stage almost as soon as Stretcher, Instinctively everybody in the hall became silent. They knew that a desp rate combat was impending, and that Stretcher and Cripps were well matched. * What did yer hit the man for?” * None of yer business.” ** Standoff! I know what The question and answer were given short and sharp, like pistol-shots; then there was a crash, as the men came together. Half a dozen sledge-hammer blows were exchang- ed, and Stretcher’s face was covered with blood. Then the master of ceremonies rushed between the combatants. **Hold!’’ cried an authoritative voice, sounding loud and clear above the din, as Frank Burton stepped on the stage, cool as a cucumber, but with an aur of quiet command that showed he was accus- tomed to obedience from those be addressed, Stretcher Bull tried to shirk away, but Burton put his hand on bis shoulder. ‘*Go up-stairs, Stretcher! I will see you later,” As Mooney Baggs led the discomfited oarsman ris the room, Burton and Scrawny stood face to ace, * What are you doing here with my man?” asked the former, flercely. ‘Nothing. I was looking after my property. This boy belongs to me, and I want to know what you were doing with him?” ‘* What boy do you mean?”’ ‘* Why, this boy, that you trapped into this place to spoil him. The boy lying over in that corner.” Scrawny stepped over to the spot in the shadow of the wings. Then he started back with an exclama- tion of astonishment that he could not repress. Owney had disappeared, and what ops had supposed was the boy, turned out to be only the pat essor’s clothes, which he had thrown there when e eg for the wrestling contest, ** Where is he?” shrieked Scrawny. No one could answer the question, not even the shabby-genteel man, who might have been a book- agent out of luck, who was quietly passing through the outer door of the saloon at this moment. CHAPTER ITI. THE DIAMOND NECKLACE. THE young oarsman, securein his disguise as the shabby-genteel man, walked slowly up-town to Union Square thinking deeply. His thoughts were of a mixed character, and perhaps the reader will be surprised to learn were not altogether of wrest- ling, boat-racing and kindred matters. They took a turn entirely independent of such things, as the fol- lowing muttered thoughts will show: ‘*T must strike a clew very soon, or it will be too late. It is a great piece of luck, Scrawny Will’s taking hold of me for a rowing match, because it enables me to combine business with pleasure, I shall have to explain my presence in New York some way. It was the funniest thing I ever saw in my life, kis look of astonishment and ag, ae when he caught sight of me on the stage at *s! wish I had not been quite so forward about wrest- ling with that English professor. It may give me trouble yet. but I never could keep quige when there was a little sport in_the wind. That was a heav fall I got thet time. It stunned me forthe moment, I expect Scrawny thinks I was nearly killed.” The young man laughed to himeelf at the idea of ~ ee light, a lady and gentleman, both elegantly dressed, and with that indescribable suggestion of a life in which money is lightiy made and lightly spent, wale distinguishes the majority of theatrical eople. The lady and gentieman were husband and wife— to of the best known and most popular artisis on the American stage. ‘You are working up the case, I suppose?’’ the lady asked, * Oer'ainly.”’ “And you think you will recover the diamonds?” **T hope so, as soon as I catch the thief, But it is never certain. The stones may be on their way to Europe by this time.” Tle lady tossed her head impatiently. * You know I will pay well for the recovery of the necklace,’ she said, * especially if I can get it in its original form, with the setting not touched. As for the thief, I do not care anything about him, He may go if I only get my diamonds.” **T will Jo the best Ican,” said Owney, “but I am afraid you will only get the stones, without the set- (ing. That has been melted down long ago. As for the thief, you may push the case against him or not, just as you please, but it will be a strange thing to me if Ido not know something about him that will be enough ro hold him or whoever he is. My motto always is to git thar.” : ‘*Well, we cannot stand talking here,” said the entleman, sp: aking for the first me. “Let us go into Ricadonna’s and have somesupper. Then you can tell us all about it.” *] have nothing to tell at present,’’ returned Owney with a smile, * but I do not mind eating a little supper. I was just thinking of taking some refreshment,” The three stepped across the square to the well. known Italian restaurant and seated themselves at a table in the rear of the long room, Owney with his back to the entrance, but facing a huge mirror on the wall, so that he could see everything tran- spiring in the restaurant, The room was crowded. It was past eleven o'clock by this time and a number of little supper parties, composed of people who had been to the different theaters, occupied the tables. ‘“ Well, now,’ said the lady, when the waiter had put the first course before the party, “what have you found out about the diamonds?’ “ag [ told you before, nothing,’ replied Owney. ‘*'You say the necklace was taken from your trunk after nine o’clock on Saturday evening, when you took it off vour neck in the theater in Pittsburg, and that you did not miss it until noon on Monday. when you opened the trunk in the theater in New York,” * Yes. **Do you not generally make sure that your jewels are safe before you lock your trunk? To me it seems a dangerans thing to leave five thousand dol- lars’ worth of diamonds in a) trunk at all,” said Owney. Tt was a noticeable fact that the young oarsman, when he put on the ring and assumed the disguise of the shabby-genteel book agent, managed to drop all the characteristics of a young and active athlete, and to appear in very truth a seedy man of middle age with whom the world had gone hard. Just now, talking earnestly, he was full of basiness, and there was nothing in him to suggest the lithe, steel- muscled opponent of the professor of wres an hour or so ago, - ‘*T do not often leave my diamonds in the trunk,” said the lady in reply to bis lest remark; “ there- fore, it makes me think that they were taken by some one who either saw me put them there or found out in some way that ! had done so,” “Did you inquire at the theater and hotel?” ‘Of course. I telegraphed at once,’’ put in the gentleman. * And the result?” * Nothing,” * What lid you do nextt” “Put the case in your hands,” af mite right.” “Tf IT understand youcorrectly, dee have no doubt about being able to eventually find the stones, at least,’ said the lady. } “IT do not say that, altogether,” returned Owney. “ because no one can be quite sure of euccess, but I have my suspicions with regard to their present whereabouts, though the suspicion is such a vague one that I do not feel justified in calling it a clew, But I will git thar if possible.” There was a slight bustle in the restaurant at this moment, as two persons were shown to a small table just vacated on the right hand side of the room, and almost behind ass | “But what are your suspicions founded on?" asked the lady when the bustle had somewhat sub- Owney did not answer. the new-come’s in the mirror. They were evidently from the country. A man and a young girl—he an elderly, hard-visaged indi- vidual, who might have been & prosperous farmer— she a young girl, shrinking, rosy-cheeked and blue- eyed, who seemed to feel sadly out of place ™ the crowded restaurant, with its lights, its mirrors, its gay decorations and its loud-talking and laughing company. | ; a Father,” she was saying, “when are we going ome?’ isd | His eyes were fixed ‘on a Sn Sele i et anl