Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 488 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

amined the marks, his head and fall over without help. Who found that ring in his hand?” ‘*] did,” answered the doctor. ‘* The hand ‘was clinched with an iron force. It was sev- eral hours before the muscles relaxed, There lay the ring, in remarkable evidence of the crime.” ‘* 1 see,” was the somewhat indifferent reply. ** And you found the body, Mr. Morton?’ ‘*l and one of my servants. Look over here and you can see the very spot where itlay. It was all curled up as if with pain. But excuse me. Keep back, gentlemen. You may disturb the marks of the struggle.” He pointed to the spot before them, on the brink of the cliff. Here the grass was trodden for a good space, and the earth disturbed and kickec wg he officers gathered arqund it and inspectec it with professional eyes. ‘* Is there a footmark here that can be meas- ured?’ asked the detective. One of the policemen bent and closely ex- He shook his head. ‘** Nothing distinct enough for that.” The detective turned again to Mr. Morton, from whose cold face every spark of expression had been banished. ‘* Your uncle was seventy-five?” ‘‘ Just past that aze.” “f Feeble ”” ‘¢ Yes, poor old man, mity of the crime.” ‘‘And your scapegrace cousin is young and strong?” ‘** An athlete, sir.” ‘‘That gives the affair a strange look, re- joined the officer, musingly. ‘‘ There are the marks of a hard struggle. No sign here of a sparrow in the claws of an eagle.” Phil Morton’s stolid face showed a momentary look of uneasiness. He replied somewhat has- That adds to the enor- tily: our. Wilmot was not the man to yield with- out a fight for his life. All who know him can testify to that. And these deepest marks are where the murderer braced himself to give his victim a fling.” “You seem to have the whole affair ver neatly laid out,” the detective coldly replied, while his eyes were shrewdly fixed on the face of the speaker. ‘‘I presume that you and your cousin were not the best of friends.” **[ have nothing against him. never approved of his wildness,” He seemed not quite at ease under the steady gaze of the detective, and turned away toward the brink of the cliff. ‘* The place has not been thoroughly search- ed,” he remarked, ‘* That is the main reason why your presence was desired. It is possible that some new evidence may be discovered,” At the suggestion the officers set themselves toa thorough inspection of the locality. Not two minutes had passed ere one of them sprung to his feet, with something clasped between his fingers. ‘“Here is evidence of some kind,” he_ re- ! “Itisa It is true | marked, handing it to the detective, gold pencil-case, with a monogram,” The detective closely examinedit. The mono- gram was readily made out. It consisted of the letters ‘“‘R. R.”. curiously twisted together, While this was going on Phil Morton continued to gaze into the quarry, as if not interested in the matter. “R, R.,” murmured the detective, as he in- spected the pencil. “Do you recognize this trinket, sir?” He handed it to Morton, ‘‘No. Those are my cousin’s initials, I am sorry to say. I have bad nothing to do wit. him for years.” During all the conversation the detective had seemed quite as much interested in Phil Mor- ton’s countenance as in the investigation. He now put the pencil in bis pocket, noted closely the exact spot where it had been found, and walked away. ‘*We will descend and examine the lower level,” he said. Nothing was discovered here, and the party returned toward the house. é‘ ‘‘ There is one other bit of evidence you had better take,” remarked Phil. ‘‘This man can give it to you.” He pointed to a roughly-dressed countryman, who had recently joined the group. ; ‘*T dunno as I kin say much, and Id loike to say nothin’, fur Mr. Dick’s been allers good to me,” was the reply, in a tone of rough honesty, ** Yet I must say as I see’d him yestern, a half- mile off beyant, and comin’ from this-a-way, He looked drefful worrited, and in a proper burrv.” Wild Dick Racket. ** Aha!” cried the officer. him?” : ‘*Why, I know him like a keerd. He was flurried, like a man out o’ sperits.” ‘** What time was this?” ‘* Mayhap little short o’ twelve. stood square above head,” | ‘* ‘What is your name, my friend?” ‘** Jock Rundle, at your sarvice.” ‘* Very well, Jock. Don’t forget this, You may have to tell it somewhere else.” Phil Morton had walked on, asif he took no interest in the subject of this conversation, The detective’s eyes continued to curiously follow him. He now abruptly left the country- man and walked quickly forward. ‘* I think that’s about all we can do here, Mr. Morton,” he remarked, ‘' Much depends on the result of your uncle’s condition. If he recovers his speech send for me at once. To tell the truth, the affair looks bad for young Racket. He must be arrested.” ‘* Tf he can be found,” ‘Do you know anything about his asso- ciates?” ‘*T should prefer not to tell. But justice goes before blood. Come back to the house. There is some information which I feel bound to give you, though I’d rather it came from any one but myself,” ‘You are sure of Fur the sun —_—- — ——- —— ‘We will not accompany them, It is rather our duty to follow up the fugitive, and trace his steps after his hasty flight. It was eight o’clock the next morning when he found himself in the presence of one of his + eghig associates. Just where he had spent the night did not appear. But since daybreak he had called on several of his prodigal friends with very ill luck. They had all been absent except one, who had bluntly declined to see him. He was a sorry sight when he found himself in the presence of Hal Hastings, a very soft- voiced individual, with a wandering eye. Dick was wet and weary-looking, bis coat splattered with mud from seam to collar. ‘*[lm asweet picture, Hal!” he exclaimed, as he flung himself heavily into a seat. “I needn't tell you what’s up. You’ve read the papers and I know they’ve got it allin. The peelers are af- ter me, hot-foot.” Hal looked disturbed and uneasy. It was evi- dent that his visitor was not welcome, He tried, however, to put a fair face on the matter. ‘*Tt’s a-.serious charge.” he muttered, un- easily. ‘*I’m sorry to hear it, Dick. And the evidence, they say—” ‘* Deuce take the evidence! What's the evi- dence when it’s me. Dick Racket, whom you know like a book? Drop that confounded sus- picious tone if you don’t wanta settler. I’m here for shelter, Hal. [ma fugitive from the law. I want vou to put me in hiding.” ‘Why, I should be glad todo anything for vse But— Nobody could be hidden here— And— ** And you wouldn’t hide me if you could, eh?” Dick was growing angry. ‘* Tt’s a dangerous business, you know, Ac- cessory after the fact.—To help keep a murderer froin the law—” He said no more, Dick closed his lips. ‘*T'm a murderer, am I, you turnip-souled specimen of a pap-sucker! Take that, and put it into your posset, The blind fool I have been to make friends of such a. crew as I’ve had around me. Serves me right!” Dick’s fair-weather friend made no reply to these fierce words. He stood rubbing his pale lips, while his eyes bad in them a lurking threat, ‘You swallow that, do you, you cowardly dog?” continued the enraged visitor. ‘‘‘ Lucky for you. If you’d lifted your hands in reply, I'd not left a whole bone in your ugly carcass!” He turned and left the room, slamming the door indignantly behind him. In‘his short visit he had not only failed to obtain shelter, but had made himself a dangerous enemy. We cannot closely follow all Dick’s movements that morning. He called on several others of his fair-weather friends, but all with the same general result. One bad one reason for not giv- ing him shelter, another had another excuse. “T am only a boarder, you know, Dick. I have only a room, and that in the attic.” ‘T am off this morning for Boston, on im- portant business, or I’d do my best,” ‘“You’re a fool to get yourself into such a scrape, that’s all I’ve got-to say. And I'd bea fool to help a fool.” A back-handed slap from : 5 ———_ Such were some of the answers he received te his demand for shelter. He left them all with an last speaker, at whose remar of laughter. ‘* Hang it, Tom, I rather like you for that. If you are a dead beat, you don’t smooth it over with soft-soap like those smooth-water gud- geons. Come, old sucker, haven’t you a change of rig to fit a fool of my size? I’m not in shape to be seen abroad.” Tom looked at his visitor with a doubtful eye. ‘*I don’t forget that Iowe you a Rood many favors, Dick Racket. You’ve played the fool for five years. It wasn’t for me to tell you while I was helping to soak in your shillings, but ?’m ready to tell you now, if itll be any good to you. I ain’t ungrateful, Dick. Id hide youifI hada hole to cover you. Asfor a change of rig, ’ve only one that would fit your stout carcass, I’m ashamed to offer 1t to you.” “Trot it out. It can’t be worse than this,” ‘‘Come this way then, <A saint can do no bet- ter than his best.” He led to an upper room, where he took from a closet a suit of clothes and spread it overa chair. Dick looked at the garments with a ques- tioning glance. The coat hada red collar and wristbands, and great brass buttons, ‘Hang it, man, are you going to put me in livery?” he demanded, ‘* Best [can do. That’s what I wore when I drove Jenkins’s coach-and-four, You want a disguise.” Dick looked at him for a moment, and then burst into another laugh. ‘* ‘Your impudence iscertainly refreshing, Tom Vance. So this is the end of my wild fling? To be put in livery hy one of my old chums! I like this. It’s good, blast me if it isn’t! All right, old fellow, Pll take your offer, Beggars can’t be choosers, and I need a disguise.” Ten minutes afterward Dick the fugitive scape- rrace presented a remarkably changed aspect. e stood in a spruce coachman’s rig, top-boots, livery coat, silk hat with red rosette, It fitted him to a charm, and he looked the handsome jockey out and out. This is getting down in the world with a vengeance,” he declared with a reckless laugh, as he surveyed himself in the glass, ,But I flat- ter myself that I’m not a bad-looking coachman. If I only get a chance at the ribbons now I'll make things spin. Best clean up that woe-be- gone suit of mine, Tom. You might have visi- tors, and that muddy coat would look suspi- cious. Good-by, old lad, you’re not the worst of the crowd.” Dick was off, as gay as a lark. He was not the person to be long down-hearted, and he laughed as he looked at himself on his way through the streets. It was now full day. He was in a surburban part of the good city of Philadelphia, in which the events just narrated had taken place. Habitations were thinly scat- tered, and not many persons were abroad. A policeman met him ere long, and gazed at him with an inquisitive eye. A quick change of expression came upon Dick’s mobile face, His reckless, high-bred aspect disappeared, and a look of stupid trouble marked his countenance. He stop it with a show of hesitation. * Meb you couldn't be tellin’ me where Mr. Reuben Gosling lives, hereabouts?” he inquired. “Tye been huntin’ bim till I'm blue in the ills.” oN Don’t know any such person,” replied the officer shortly. ‘Come over from Jersey City yester eve to take service with him. [ve lost the directions, and can’t make nothin’ of this here straight- backed town. I know it was somewhere ’bout Sixtieth street. But whereaways I give up.” ‘* That’s Sixtieth street next below th-~e,” re- joined the officer in a surly tone. ‘* Don t know your man.” z Much obliged. I'll ax the next perlite police- man, Dick walked away with a swing, leaving the officer to follow him witha look half-doubt, half- anger. The pretended coachman took care not to look back until he reached a corner, Turn- ing this, he glanced around, and saw that the officer had not moved. ‘** When in doubt play a trump,” he remarked, with a laugh. ‘‘ That chap has seen me twenty times before, and he’sdubious now. It won’t pay for me to keep the street.” Within a half-hour afterward the disguised fugitive found himself in a comfortable room, furnished in a sporting fashion, and in the pres- ence of his friend Will West, who was gazing at him in doubt and question, ‘“‘T’ve heard of it all. It’s in one of the morn-» JNA words, except the he burst into a fit ~ comicbooks hs. vat t M- a | =. ee | “