Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 512 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

— - xy i = ave P< * 4 : a ty 4 >t — = — oe a 4 a Xe . i ~acle te Pah oad ow felt 8! = + Tas: * , re 4 7 Sale Ch. eS Say ee ; 4 i * r. ef: : 7 dger Dic Ta . + p<. ; ° . : * - "ey 7 “ni TT a = J vs ~* os. | O a trap on the wharf-rat spy, and, secondly, the “That doesn’t dissolve the agreement. Fifty ring will never rise to accuse you,” dollars before you leave the house.” Larry uttered an exclamation of pleasure. Driven to a corner by the demeanor and reso- “This is news, indeed!” he cried. “ Jack, lution of the woman, Larry produced his pocket-. ‘you're the boss web- weaver in Gotham. How | book and paid the amount with the best grace goes the game I opened at Peter Prayne’s?” he could assume, then, with a growled ‘* good- “Tt couldn't go better. Even now Red is | night,” he left the woman to herself and turned feathering our nest in a substantial manner. | away. Don’t you see that you can’t affora to get mixed Rosa gone! up in any broils? That young reporter knows The thought, the catastrophe, put Larry's something, and you don’t want to make him | brain in a whirl. The gas-lamps seemed to hot.” dance when he touched the sidewalk. ‘That is good logic,” smiled Larry. ‘I will What had become of the girl? Had she gone go ahead and play my game out before I stop. | back to her old quarters, Mrs. Hartwick’s board- What kind of a man is the old lawyer Fergus | ing-house? Had she already told the story of Fleece?” her adventures to the police? ‘“ He’s good for some things, like hunting up “Tf T could find Jack just now, ’'d know what heirs an’ such cases. What business have you to do,” muttered Larry; “ut where will I look with Fergus Fleece?” for him?” Larry hesitated. At last the young sport resolved to go back to “T have a friend, you donot know him, who the hotel. has been beaten by the old lawyer.” Rosa did not know that he had been making “Tn what way?” it his headquarters, and in his room there he ‘Phe old rascal purloined a valuable paper.” | could think out the plan of the next campaign. ‘Hell do that. I know him!” exclaimed Larry had failed to hold the girl whom he in- Jack. “Lf your friend wants it, he'll have to | tended to make Mrs. Lang. The abduction, pay well for it.” with Jack’s help, had proved successful, and the “Cunt it be obtained in no other way?” | boat abandoned in the harbor had fooled the asked Larry, leaning forward. river police. The loss of the diamond ring had The young man’s voice betrayed his anxiety. | been counterbalanced by the springing of Jack’s “Your friend can’t frighten Fergus,” Jack | trap on Dick Sly. svent on. ‘* The old man isn’t one o’ that kind. If Rosa had notescaped Larry would have had What is the paper worth?” reason to congratulate himself. As 1t was, his ‘‘ Two hundred.” pet scheme was not getting on very well. A sneer curled the crook’s lips. If he had known where to look for Jack 0’ ‘*T wouldn’t lose time for that amount!” he | Diamonds at that bour he would have gone exclaimed. ‘The paper can’t be very valuable, | straight to the crook, but he went back to the else its recovery would be worth more than two hotel and slipped up to bis room unmolested. bundred.” Meantime Peter Prayne, the merchant in Larry bit his lips and cursed his lack of funds. | Jack’s net, had gone home with Red Reynard at “Let it BO; After awhile I'll recover the | his side. paper myself,” The crook’s pal was to receive the twenty-five alf an hour later Larry was able to leave thousand dollars, as the reader remembers, and his room. - | he had instructions not to leave the merchant Jack o’ Diamonds had departed by the front until the sum bad been paid, way, but the victim of the young reporter’s rage All the way up-town Peter Prayne wished went quietly down a private stair and reached | that something would turn up to ‘* shake ” the the street. man who watched him like a hawk. A short distance from the hotel he gen in- But nothing came to the merchant’s rescue. to a cab and gave the driver the same orders he At last the end of the journey was reached, had given bim on a previous occasion, and the two men entered the library. He liked this driver; he did not permit any Red Reynard was courteous, but firm. He hanging on behind, and when he undertook to | acted like a person who might have conducted whip a street Arab loose, he did not stop short | several affairs of the kind, and Peter Prayne of the accomplishment of the task, saw that he was as cool as the man he had left Larry’s face had been made presentable by | down-town. | the hotel barber and while be was borne rapidly The money was taken from the merchant’s through the streets of New York he cursed | private drawer and paid over. Donald Dustin roundly for the punishment he Red Reynard counted every bill before put- had inflicted. ting it beneath his coat, and certified to the cor- ‘There is war to the knife between us, Mr. | rectness of Mr. Prayne’s count. Dustin!” grated Larry. ‘1 cannot have you “You know nothing about the business be- hauled up before a aera for your attack, | tween Mr, Seldon and I?” said the merchant, at but I can deal a blow that will make you stag- the conclusion of the transaction. ger.” “Nothing,” answered Red Reynard. After awhile the cab stopped and let Larry | Peter Prayne knew better than this; but he out, iy did not reply, and a few moments later he let He sprung across the sidewalk and rung a | the man out, and turned away with a feeling of door b It. Ina moment he stood face to face relief. with a woman, ; See got enough to go to Europe on,” ejacu- “The young lady is gone,” ejaculated this | lated Red, as he waiked hurriedly to the nearest woman. Elevated station. ‘I might try a game o’ this Larry seemed to recoil a step. He lost color kind against some fellows but against Jack o’ and began to stammer. Diamonds, whew! it would be too risky!” “Gone? gone?—Rosa—” ' : He was about to bound up *he steps to the ** She eye me the slip about an hour ago!” depot, when a light step in his rear made him Larry leaned against the wall and gasped. turn, and a man stepped forward. Kor Sh ‘Hold on, Mr. Fox. I want you!” he said. CHAPTER XIV. Red Reynard leaned forward, for the man UNEXPECTEDLY NABBED. was not fairly in the light, and when he caught ‘THs is a catastrophe sure gee !” men- sight of him he started. tally exclaimed Larry, before be fairly caught his breath. ‘‘ Here, Rosa is gone; she has given her keeper the slip, and I’m left m no en- viable position.” Then he turned upon the woman who con- fronted him, and said madly: gh’ thought she was to be watched like a hawk?” ‘Well, wasn’t she? was the retort. ** Do ae meee to insinuate that I didn’t do my ut She came toward Larry with clinched hands, and the young man seeing her gaze, sbrunk to the wall, ' “J didn’t intend to insinuate anything,” he hastened to say. “I am sorry the girl is gone. About an hour ago, you say? * ¥-e8, ; 5. * Well, I can’t mend matters by remaining ere, “You can settle before you go. There are fifty dollars back on the bargain.’ ‘But the girl is not here,” protested Larry. he next instant a second man came in sight, and the foremost one laid his band on the crook’s rm. “We want you.” Red sprung back, but the men were upon im. “What do you want?” he exclaimed. “The body of Red Reynard!” was the reply. ‘Come, Mr. Fox; we have the bracelets for ou!” And the click of a catch made the New ork sport the manacled prisoner of the two officers. ‘What am I wanted for?” he asked, glaring at hiscaptors. “Por assisting to bleed a citizen.” “ What citizen?” ‘* Peter Prayne.” “You have followed me.” “We have. You have just Jeft Peter Prayne’s ame We will search you at the station, Mr. Ox. Red Reynard said no more. : “Tn fortune’s name, whose work is this?’ he © hn *- oe a A ‘‘Tt isn’t the boy’s, for Jack’s trap — fixed him this afternoon. body taken 1 can’t believe it.” ; nt sullen and speechless to here the packet of money He was locked up for charge of extortion marked and lett to reflect on the sud- fey A ie > Ami S : J Red Reynard we the police-station, W was found on his person. the night with the opposite bis name, den change in his for ‘*TIf they know house for, they wi the whole game will | “Td give ove from the merchant t 1 went to Peter Prayne’s 1) walk in on Jack, and then e up!” be exclaimed in the f the amount I got to-night if 1 could find out detectives onto me.” Red Reynard could im for him in the He could see the expressic pointment on his ] and finally he could imag for the night and spring awa The truth is that Jack o wait long for Red Rey When he left Larry a with the reporter be wen re he waited a cer Jack knew that Red Reynard dared him false; he was aware that his part- in actual and daily fear of him, and low he would turn up in time agine Jack o’ Diamonds Beekman street office, mn of rage and disap- face as he came not, ine him lock the office with an oath. Diamonds did not t the hotel after his t back to Beekman tain time for his thatif he was § with the money wrung from Pete When Jack left the office he yart of the city where we first met him, c afterward a woman sewing in a was startled by his sudden appear- walked toward ance, It was Mother Sturgeon, Dick Sly’s guardian, and she held up her finger in a warning way as the crook came toward ber. ‘“ Why, what’s the matter?” in “Dyve got new neighbors in the was the reply. ‘*New fiddlesticks! but Tll lower m out 0’ respect for them, Where’s Dick? ‘‘ He hasn’t been here for a day or SO. the boy has deserted me for good.” ood deal in the boy.” f mischief!” ejaculated Jack. do with the ring?” ‘“* Are you very ‘‘ There was a g “A good deal o ‘¢ What did he ever “T can’t find it, though I’ve searched his quar- ters from ceiling to fl ‘* He has given you ‘‘Not in the end he didn with a leer. ‘Do you think you can get along without Dick?” Mother Sturgeon smiled. ‘“Tve been doin taken to the docks, ask?” ‘*Oh! the youn stay about the guess they suit geon’s house anyhow?” The woman made no reply, d to the work in ber lap a si her and was caught by watching her. in Mother Stur the slip completely.” t!” exclaimed Jack tty much since he’s ‘“ Why do you ter may take a notion to ocks,” answered Jack. him better than Mother Stur- but as her eyes on’s heart was a feelin who had slept under her roof, an ings more than once had been emptied into her ] p- ack o’ Diamonds seemed to notice this, and his eyes got a mad flash behind their heavy f the boy takesa notion to stay away, for him,” he suddenly went on. “ to the wharves anyhow, and was get- eople who want to without interference.” nt Mother Sturgeon caught the erook’s eye, and he saw her dart forward and clutch his wrist. ** You've fixed the boy as you ‘*You found entirely too ‘fly’ for 7 make a living The next mome call it!” she ex- that be was likely to in- ou in some scheme--in some with the ring, maybe, You . You know that the ork are onto you—that they and your present.” . with the police!” grow ; from her grasp, and drawing — terfere with scheme connected can’t afford to olice of New now your past You know that you’re the only person in the die fees world for whom I have any respect!” he cried. j ou mean to threaten me, Alice?” ¢ for thousands! n the vaults of Wall street to turn me — Jack. But you want to go slow. | ot the past, the doors that have closed — isn’t money of y “—[ won't! I won't!” almost springing to his feet. ‘I am playin gest and deepest game of my life, and woe to Bye , ‘ \ eA fd : - ~~ :