Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 488 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

CO — Wild Dick Racket. r appointment, Will was on hand. He had one his best to avoid being tracked, and fully believed that he had siscevaal He entered the saloon with an air of confidence. “ Any one asking for me, Jake?” “Yes, a gentleman just come in. You will ‘find him in the private room to the left of the ? stairs, Mr, West. ‘Very well.” Will proceeded to the room in question, Here stood Dick Racket, though at first sight he hard- ly knew him. There was nothing odd about his dress, but he wore a huge red mustache, and a wig of shining auburn hair, that gave a new aspect to his face. He laughed at Will’s sur- rise, ae Masquerading, Will. Got to do it, my buck. They’re hunting me close, Come with a clear track, eh, lad?” ‘*T fancy so. I doubled considerably, and could see no sign of a tracker.” ‘** How about the riddle? Have you made it out?” asked Dick, ‘** No, hang it! Here it is.” He drew the mysterious paper from his pocket. ‘“‘T have an idea, Will. Ill tell you how it came to me.” He proceeded to tell the story of his dream. ‘‘ What do you think of that?) Dreams some- times have a meaning. It may be inverted writing, only to be made out by reflection ina mirror.” ‘Hang my stupidity why didn’t I think of that myself?” cried Will. ‘It would be odd if your uncle had come to you in sleep to reveal the secret. It is said the dead sometimes come back in dreams.” ‘The dead?” ‘““Yes. I heard this morning that he died yesterday. It may be merely rumor.” ‘‘It must be true! That’s a bad job for me, Will, if they nab me. But a fig for worry; let’s a if the vision is bread or ashes.” ; t was easy to test the dream. A mirror hung in the room, A line of the mysterious writing on the outside of the document served as a first test. This was reflected in the face of the mirror, and there, to their astonished eyes, appeared in a clear-written text: * Read not the within until after my death. ** Amos WILMOT.”’ “* Kureka!” cried Will. ‘‘ The ghost has told the truth, and we’re a pair of thick-headed numbskulis!) Turn over, Will. He is dead, and the secret is ours. Quick! My fingers are ting- ling with anxiety.” Will, equally curious, hastened to obey. The communication was reflected in the shining glass. Will let it fall in disgust. ‘Hang it! thething is a sel. than before.” ‘‘ The deuce it isn’t!” exclaimed Dick, snatch- ing it up again. ‘“ That shows your want of education. Fis a piece of prime German text, and as clear as a book.” “German text! Well, I know no more of German than of Greek. Read it,” ; Dick was already reading it, with a lowering face and set lips. He ended with a violent ex- clamation, ‘‘The ecat’s loose! And I would have kicked the man who told me that Amos Wilmot was the rascal he’s here confessed himself. It’s not square to curse a dead man, but by Jove—” ‘* What is it?” asked Will, impatiently. ‘‘ An- other will suppressed, as you fancied?” ‘‘ Worse than that, Listen to this.” Dick translated as follows: It’s no clearer ‘* Ali the property possessed by me belongs of right to Richard Racket. The clause in his father’s will under which I hold it was fraudulent. I secretly in- serted it myself before the will was signed Stricken by conscience, I have prepared this confession. I cannot bring myself to yield my good name while I live; but after my death may justice he done, and my crime retrieved. y “Signed, Amos WriMmorT.” The two young men stood looking at one an- other with questioning eyes, “There’s a precious bit of conscience fund,” declared Dick, with compressed lips, ‘* What do you think of that?” “T wish you had found another will instead.” “WwW hy?” ““T fear this wont hold water. See here, Dick, have some notion of the law. Whether he was deceived or not, your father signed the will, And this document will hardly hold inlaw. You cannot prove where you got it, except by our own assertion, This signature 1S not witnessed, I fancy it is a useless find.” “ By good and bad, I'll try it anyhow! Phil Morton shall not swoop in my cash while there’s any fight left in my bones!” ‘*Perhaps your uncle may have left a will in your favor, and so repaid his debt of honor.” ‘*No. I know that during my fling he willed it all to sly Phil Morton. I defied him, and Phil coddled him. He might have changed it, only for his hurt. Death has settled the matter now.” ‘Then fight, Dick, that’s my advice,” ‘* Fight I will, like a game-cock, while I’ve got a feather left.” CHAPTER XI. A HOME TRAIL. Dick RACKET left the door of Jake’s saloon alone, Disguised as he was, he did not deem it wise to be seen in the company of Will West. The latter was therefore left behind to follow at his leisure. Dick stood a minute or two at the saloon door, idly whipping his knee with the small cane he carried, as it in doubt what course he would take next. se But he was not as easy and careless as he seemed. His eyes were busy, and there was not a feature of the surroundings that escaped his keen inspection. Persons were passing to and fro, some loung- ingly, some seemingly pushed by business. Only two were at rest. On a box across the street, sat aman, very shabbily dressed, and smoking a pipe with a great show of content, as if he were waiting for a job to turn up, Nearer Dick a well-grown boy, with a very sharp face, stood lounging against a lamp-post. The disguised fugitive took these two within the circuit of his vision. He stepped away as if to pursue his course up the street, then seem, halted and turned. The boy had straightened himself from his lounging attitude, and was looking eagerly after him, The man had taken the pipe from his mouth and was on the point of rising from his seat. His eyes were turned with a keen glance in the same direction. ‘* Thought so,” said Dick to himself. ‘‘ Shad- owed, by Jove! Will is not sharp enough to deal with these customers. They’ve tracked him here, and [Pll be hanged if they don’t smell me. I knew there was something unnatural in the cut of that chap’s shabby coat. Very well, we'll see who wins,’ While thus cogitating he.was walking leisure- ly along the street, without seeming to heed the spies he fancied he had discovered. He walked on for several squares in this heedless fashion, then paused at a store window, into which he seemed to be idly looking. But in that instant he managed to catch a glimpse of the situation behind him. Half a square off, on the other side of the street, was the man with the pipe, walking pareeey, along, "There was no trace of the Oy. ‘*They are not sure of me,” he said to him- self, ‘‘ The boy is left to keep up the chase of Will. The man is following me on a venture, That’s my notion at least; now to prove it.” He started forward again, easily at first, but quickly mending his pace until he found him- self walking at full speed, This rate was kept up until he had advanced several squares; then he turned a corner in such a way as to give him an opportunity to look back. There was his pursuer, the pipe now out of hfs mouth, eagerly and hastily pushing forward. ‘¢ That settles it,” said Dick. his game; now to shake him.” He commenced again a rapid walk, turning corner after corner rapidly, shooting down nar- row streets and through courts, pushing through crowds. For fifteen minutes he went on at this pace, until he was thoroughly out of breath, without once looking behind him. Then he turn- ed a sharp corner and darted hastily into a wee doorway of an adjoining house, e waited, deeply breathing, in doubt wheth- er or not_he had thrown his pursuer from the track, He was not long in suspense. In a mo- ment more the man came around the corner, almost at a run, and panting from his exer- tions. He burried down the street for a short distance, then quickly stopped. He bad lost sight of his game, He turned hastily back. There was Dick behind him, just disappearing into the adjoining street, ‘‘That point is settled.” considered the fugi- tive. ‘‘The chap hasa keen scent. He hangs on like a sleuth. I must shake him by hook or crook, or my cake’s settled.” The course pursued had brought him within **T have nailed a short distance of the Schuylkill River, that | bathed the city on the west, An idea came 11 this direction. Five minutes brought him to the banks of the stream, at the extremity of a long marble wharf, Below the edge of the pier ran the dark, chill water, ten feet down. Dick seated himself on a post at the wharf’s edge, and gazed into the stream, After a rest of a minute or two he looked be- hind him. There sat his imperturbable pur- suer, at rest on a block of marble, the pipe again in his mouth, and his eyes fixed on the clouds, as if not a thought ef anything earthly was on his mind. Dick gritted his teeth with spleen. ‘*Tll treat you to some pepper in your stew, my hearty! Fun’sfun; but you’ve carried this: joke a little too far.” He rose and idly stretched himself. Then he took a cigar from his pocket, and beckoned to the man, The latter rose and came toward him, ‘Will you be kind enough to let me have a light?” he asked. “Tm afeard my pipe’s out,” was the re- ply. ‘‘ ve took too fong a draw for comfort’s: sale, ‘*T fancy you have,” rejoined Dick with a sarcastic laugh. ‘‘T’m a poor devil, on the look for a job,” continued the spy. ‘* Mebbe you can put me om the track of one.” ‘* Why, I always like to give a\poor devil a hft,” returned Dick, ‘‘ Let’s see, what’s your line? Do you know anything about the wa- ter? ‘A bit.” **Can you swim?” ** Like a duck,” ‘* Then I see a neat opening for you.” ** 'W here?” ‘Down there,” pointing down to the river. ‘*T promised you a lift. Here it is.” In an instant he bad the fellow by the waist. The chap was strong and heavy, but he was: like a feather in Dick’s arms, With a vigorous lift he was raised bodily, suspended for a mo- ment, wildly struggling over the dark flood and then let fall. Down with a splash and a surge he went, far beneath the deep waters. Dick stoed looking down into the stream, After a few seconds the fellow emerged, puffing like a re, hog and striking out to swim. ‘*Good-by, my jolly,” laughed Dick, ‘* Hope ou won't freeze, for the water is deuced cold, you've walked and you've run after Dick Racket. Now you can swim after him. That: will make a neat report for you at the Central, Farewell, and beware of the gudgeons,”’ Dick ran laughing up the wharf, followed by curses from the sadly tricked spy, who was. splashing in the chill waves, He was not long in putting distance between himself and the soaked spy, A half-hour found him far away in the city, several miles distant: from the scene of the free bath, The portion of the city into which Dick had now made his way was one that bore no savory reputation. It was that noted ‘*down-town’” region, in which all the disreputable characters of the city were gathered. Dick looked around him, a little surprised to find where his heedless feet had brought him. Suddenly his eyes became?’ fixed, in marked attention, Just before him was*a well-known figure, that of Moll Brandon. She was standing at a corner, apparently in waiting, while a look of impatience marked her face. Dick turned to hide his surprise, and struck a match, lighting the cigar which he had failed to light at the spy’s cold pipe. e hesitated but for a moment, and then walked forward, passing by Moll so closely that he could have touched her. Hig disguise, and the manner in which he drew his mouth over the cigar, served him well. She looked him im the face without a show of recognition. Dick strolled carelessly on, but he had not gone far ere he met another well4snown face, This was that of Joe Groggery, seemingly sober, and hurrying forward toward Moll, Dick turned again and walked leisurely back, He saw Moll start hastily forward to meet Joe, and eagerly accost him. Some quick words passed between them, a few of which the lis- tener caught. \ ‘At the Tramn’s Delight. I’ve left him there ' in waiting. He is in a precious temper, Moll.” ‘‘He can’t play on me, for all his temper,” she harshly answered. ‘‘ Leave the balance to me, Joe, He’s got to e The Tramp’s Delight! What delectable place was that? Dick had never heard of it before. He had been tracked by a spy that day. He must play the spy now, into Dick’s fertile brain, and he bent his stepsin ' Moll had plunged back into the street om ccomicbooks. —_— ‘ « —— a ee ~~ ko | — Z - » aaa co