Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 512 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

a boy who offered for sale a diamond ring? You know, Richard. You haven't slept on the docks and piers and lived among the wharf vermin for nothing. Come! let us understand one another. Is the lady to have her property?” ‘‘Maybe I’d sooner treat with the lady her- self?” remarked Dick, in a bantering way. ‘“You will treat with me, and with no one else!” was the emphatic answer. ‘‘ lam the au- thorized middle-man in this matter.” ** And you will pay two hundred for the ring?” ‘* Yes,’ éé Cash?” ‘‘ Cash on delivery.” ‘‘ What I haven’t got with me can’t be deliver- ed,” replied Dick. ‘Then, you mean—” — “J mean nothing!” was the interruption. ‘‘ However, if you convince me that thisisa fair deal I might help you.” A scow] darkened the crook’s brows and his hands closed madly. ‘‘ What more can I say?” heexclaimed, leaning forward. ‘* You want the lady’s name. That is what you're holding back for. I see it all Hae ou think you can increase the reward y treating directly with her. She will enter- tain none of your propositions. Iam the right party, lsay. What are you going to dos” Once more the figure of the Gotham crook seemed to hang over the wharf-boy like an im- nding avalanche. Behind heavy black lashes is eyes foretold the oncoming storm, ‘You cannot show me the person who says I found such a ring,” suddenly declared Dick. The words seemed to startle Jack o’ Diamonds, ‘Tell me who has been playing the spy in my kingdom,” he went on. ‘‘Ab! you cannot do that, Mr. Seldon! You make certain charges here, yet you cannot substantiate them. I found a ring last night. You say you know this to be true. Why don’t you give me a chance to de- fend myself?” ' “he crook made no reply, but stood nonplused before the lad. | He dared not tell him how he had obtained the information; he could not afford to betray Mrs. Sturgeon, Dick's guardian, and so he faced the young shadow like one wholly at his wits’ end. ‘All this is not answering my question!” he suddenly cried. ‘‘I have ed you what are you Boing to do?” ‘‘ About the ring?” ‘ About nothing else!” “T want a little time to decide,” replied Dick. “You want time to hide it beyond possibility of being found, eh?” **T did not —y so.” “By Jove! Pll give you time,” was the start- ling response. “Til play fair with you, Richard. I give you until this hour to-morrow night.” ick Sly could hardly believe his ears. Was he going to walk out of the crook’s presence un- checked and unharmed? ‘“‘T accept,” he answered. ‘‘ At this hour to- morrow night, what?” | ‘‘T can be found here if you come alone.” ‘Ready to pay the reward for the ring if it is produced then?” ce Yes.” “That is fair,” asserted the boy, apparemtly satisfied. et ‘“You must come alone, remember!” admon- x ished the man. | ‘‘T ynderstand; alone.” ‘You will come, eh?” ‘Tf nothing prevents.” Jack 0’ Diamonds stepped back. He seemed to be satisfied with the compromise. . “Tf know what 1t means,’ concluded Dick. | - from now on I am to be watched by the cool- fh est and shrewdest rascal in New York. Jack 0’ , Diamonds is playing a deep game of some kind, and the ring is at the bottom of it. I will do ’ rescue. A minute later Dick was on the street again, ana he felt that the eyes of the crook were al- f ready upon him. CHAPTER IV. ANOTHER DIAMOND RING. | Dick SLY, it happened, was not the only per- 5. son who thought it singular that the strange BA. | boat should be found drifting in the harbor just Po before dawn. am There was one individual besides the dock fer- s ret who gave the cireumStance more than pass- a y ing. thought. es pe his was Donald Dustin, the | always on the lookout for a g | to get ahead of his associates on the morn- ehave seen Dick rouse him from sleep at his a ° ¥ Bic: meh ; . r ~? ~ is hd ‘ at AY , iF ‘ es 2 ie 1” ‘ r ~_ A i 4 b , ran <— = a . . oung reporter, item, and ever » Can es a% ‘ ‘ ~ =u oe ee my best, too, and I'll bring Donald to the Ao on &. tm, 4, a . i - : rc. ; ‘of i. & at Bes te - i , a3 ‘> <r; .. ve oS Nae) . . iv 2 eee a) OP ee ee +4 a ei > —_— : he ; . fe es a Dodger Dick. lodgings shortly after the finding of the ring, | and have heard the conference between the two friends, Donald had given his word that the episode should not get into the paper, but he had given it reluctantly, for he knew it was the destruction of an excellent column sensation, About the time that Richard Sly was making his way from Mother Sturgeon’s to the trap Jack o’ Diamonds had set for him, the young reporter knocked at the door of a small house not many squares from the Beekman street snare. He was admitted by a middle-aged woman who smiled as she recognized him, “Dm afraid you won't find Rosa at home,” said the woman. ‘* Not at home?” exclaimed Donald, surprised. “She went away last night and I don’t think she hasveturned. However, you can go up and see. You know the way, Mr. Dustin.” Donald hardly waited to hear the last words, but passed the woman and sprung up-stairs. In a little while he entered a small room whose furniture was revealed by the light in the outside hall. ‘‘Mrs. Hartwick was right. here!” The reporter looked puzzled, for the room was without a tenant besides himself; but nothing indicated that its dweller had gone away to stay. He stood near the door debating what to do when he heard a step behind him and Mrs. Hart- wick entered. ‘Excuse me, Mr. Dustin,” she ejaculated. ‘I came up to see what has become of Rosa any- Rosa is not ow. ‘‘ She is not here,” answered the young repor- ter in disappointed tones. ‘‘When did she go away?” Mrs. Hartwick smiled, ‘Tt is rather strange. happened to me before,” was the reply. don’t believe in spirits, Mr. Dustin, but I have dabbled in spiritualism a little, as you know.” ‘‘ A little with Rosa for amusement. I know all about it. Goon, Mrs, Hartwick.” ‘‘ Well, last night about seven o’clock I was sitting in my front room when I heard a voice at the window. I heard it very distinctly, for the room mg to be still at the time. Three times the voice pronounced the name of Sarah Simpson, a friend of mine who lives just around the corner. Mrs, Simpson believes in spirit-rappings and all such things, and when I heard her name at my window I almost be- lieved myself, I did not know what to do, but plucking up courage I tip-toed toward the win- dow and asked what was wanted. The only reply I got was, ‘Sarah Simpson, ‘ Sarah ‘Simp- son,’ and the name died away slowly with the last pronunciation. It flashed across my mind all at once that Mrs. Simpson needed help in some manner, and I resoived to go to her. ‘* Rosa was in this room at the time, and not wishing to show her my face,for I was frightened, I slipped off alone. hen I found Mrs, Simp- son she was in pood health and invited me to remain, which f did for two hours. It was after nine o’clock when I got back. There was no light in Rosa’s room, and concluding that the girl was tired out and had gone fo bed, I retired myself. This morning she did not come down to breakfast, and then I discovered that she was not in the house. Her bed had not been disturbed. It was just as you see it now, Mr. Dustin. That is all I know about Rosa’s going away. Itis kind of queer, seems to me, that [ should be taken off by a mysterious voice at the window and that should dis- appear while I was gone.” he reporter was in a deep study when Mrs. Hartwick finished her story. “Don’t you think it is very queer?’ she asked. - The question seemed to bring him back to himself. ‘There are several elements of mystery about it,” he exclaimed. “I cannot account for Rosa’s abse What did you think when nce, you found she was gone?” “ At first I thought she had taken a sudden notion to ae all night with her friend Alice Gray. She does so sometimes, but then I al- ways know that she is going. When that theory was exploded by Alice herself who called for her this morning, 1 did not know what to think.” | ““What do your neighbors say?” ‘None of them saw Rosa go. I have asked all but a young man who clerks in a store in Baxter street.” Nothing like it ever cy * i ¢ ‘ ‘ye = . - i tees ry ‘ 4 ’ * ig ‘ @ qi ‘ fine 6% 7 re 4 f AT. ie “ A Be = { ( ; & a x “> rey - Ge ae und Xo Ye ‘‘ A Jew?” asked Donald ‘No; a young American named La He and I haven’t been on very § for some time, and 1 concluded wouldn’t. trouble him about Rosa’s going away.” cite ‘‘Did Rosa know him?” ba aA “Yes, and despised him, too, Didn’t she | tell you, Mr. Dustin, how he used to persecute: her with his attentions?” “Never! the infamous rascal!” ejaculated Donald coloring. ‘‘ But that must bave been some time ago, Mrs. Hartwick?” may | “Only last spring. I presume she didn’t. 7 ’ . <V ‘ “sD x - » i - & be ov; ~— a . « sed =P, . ar. be” « < . | 7 e ‘ Ys t uw 2 Mosy ° ~~ = + . ail ot = “ %, 7) 0 oe Om he <a r the Wes tt OE ON a” = Ne > a Aes Sune ia 2. want to bother you about such affairs, and then ” y she used to say that she could manage such oe fellows like Larry Lang.” aia! ‘Where does he cler ct" asked the young re- porter his eyes sparkling with resentment, ‘He is with Solomon Strauss.” ay ‘“ And I know exactly where to find Solo- Ss een mon!” exclaimed Donald. ‘I once had a re- e: eee portorial experience with that oily Baxter ‘mie street sharp. I am sorry that Rosa is not aS i Poae here.” “yates “Ts that all, Mr. Dustin?” she exclaimed. eee “ Aren’t you alarmed?” eee ‘‘Not much, Mrs. Hartnick. Rosa is too ~ ihe sensible a girl to keep us in suspense long.” 5 i oem ‘¢ What do you think?” ip if ‘> ‘‘Oh, she has taken a sudden journey to an- ee other part of the city,” answered Donald, though his voice told that he was far from being at his: ease, ‘ ‘‘She has not deserted me, I hope?” cried the woman. . ie “Of course not. See! she has left all her 4 oods behind. She willcome back shortly. But: tans et me ask you, Mrs. Hartwick, when did you “ie last see Larry Lang?” i | hee ‘“‘ Not since yesterday.” pe | a ‘“‘ He boards next door?” cae Cok “Yes.” et. | eae ‘‘That is all,” answered Donald, and the next eo | Boa minute with a final look about the room he went mae, ae away, bidding Mrs. Hartwick good-night. ea | Vee “Here is a mystery about as deep as that eh we which clings to the diamond ring,” he exclaim- hgh ed tc himself when he reached the street al- = | ready lit up and thronging with people. eh” ee don’t believe Rosa would go off in this manner al of her own accord. I am puzzled,and can’t = = help associating her disappearance with the — strange voice Mrs. Hartwick heard at her win- dow last night. As for Larry Lang, I will in~ vestigate him first. This is one of the things Rosa has kept from me. I see that she did not want to draw me into a difficulty with any one.” Meantime the young reporter was hurrying toward Baxter street. He knew that Solomon Strauss closed earlier than some of his neigh- bors, and he was anxious to catch Mr, Lang at — his post. | There was a short cut to the clothing store and Donald took it. After a brisk walk he reached the place and found it still open. It s'ood in the midst of the Jewish quarter, and on every side were the sym- bols of the trade which has made Baxter street. — famous the world over. eal At that particular hour Solomon Strauss, am angular Jew, with a very hooked beak, had no customer. He stood near the door of his establishment, leaning against a pile of goods, and seemed to be counting in his inind the profits of the day. Donald’s sudden appearance gave Solomon’s eyes an avaricious sparkle, and he pounced =~ upon the supposed customer with Jewish ~ avidity. ‘a But all at once he seemed to recognize his visitor, for he drew back with a flashing look and became a statue of suppressed rage. is Where is Mr. Lang?” asked Donald, who | secretly enjoyed the Israelite’s mood, Od ‘] haf ne dealings mit a man like you!” cried Solomon. ‘“ You ish dot smart young manvat come here after my fire, an’ put me in der ee: babers mit unshentlemanly remarks of your ‘ i: own! You ish dot reborter who brint dot der | stuff vot vas burned up den vas all oldan’un- salable trash. I could shoke you at dot time!” — and Solomon Strauss looked like he wanted to do it then. ae ‘Pm not here to call up that little acs said Donald. ‘‘ I want to see Mr. Lang. se i ‘* Vell, Mister Lang isn’t in!” | Sat aie ‘¢ Gone for the night. eh?” AF Mee, Fe “Mister Lang hasleft my employ.” = The young reporter started, i ices ‘¢ When did he leave?” ‘3 tised 7 a oe clerk. "Vat you vont mit Mister ey *, hey Spey: rie mT ‘wanted to see him on business.” 3 a i >, = ee a ‘ a Hum.” i eee 4 * . rs e _ a 24% % BP 4 im — & Cad : elyaaliia 1% 5 Pri ~ yo ad 5 . Pa = alia , ‘ 4 - ! a — —_ SS iow. 1 ae 2 eee bs Sir