Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 512 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

a > : P oy ea tae te ee . o «ff RE ee ie, OP aes ES ONS a I i | i | Dodger Dick. 7 * Don’t you see that the play against Rosa and the one on the merchant run together?” ‘‘ The same men are doing it,” replied Donald. ‘*T want to find the girl.” ‘Very well. Confront Larry Lang now and accuse him, and Rosa will not be restored. Jack o’ Diamonds is one of the coolest and most desperate men in New York. He comes often to the nest under the docks, and some of his eames originate there. I haven’tfrequonted the wharves all my life for Steg Rosa is safer, wherever she is, with Larry Lang at the big hotel than she would be with him under ar- rest and Jack o’ Diamonds on the path of ven- geance.” There was logic in the wharf shadow’s re- marks, and Donald was not slow to see it, ** Go ahead, Dick,” he said, looking the young detective in the face. ‘* The drifting boat is still a mystery to me, but time will clear it ? ‘‘Tt is clear to me now. The occupants of the boat got into another craft, and it was turn- ed adrift to deceive the water cops. To-mor- row Peter Prayne will receive another visitor besides Larry.” “T trust it will be a visitor with his eyes open,” smiled Donald, who saw through the young spy’s words. ‘‘Tt will be no other kind!” was the assur- ance. ‘* When I was on the wharf to-day I saw the sneaking figure of Red Reynard, Jack 0’ Diamonds’s partner. The fellow was trying to make up for his failure to keep up with us when we were taking Goldenrod to identify the ring. He watched me like a hawk, and once more I gave hin the slip, in broad daylight, too. These fellows are sharp, but sometimes they lose a point when they expect to make one.” And the Dodger laughed over his adventure with the crook. Donald was anxious to know at what hotel Larry Lang was airing himself in style, but he did not like to question the Wharf Spy Detective, for he knew that the boy would curb his curi- osity by a flat refusal to impart the informa- tion, After awhile the pair parted, and Donald went back to his desk in the newspaper office. Dick Sly, who now wore a suit of clothes in which Mother Sturgeon would not have recog- nized him, boarded a car and was soon whirling up-town. , A short time later he appeared in front of a hotel noted for its massiveness and style. The electric lights that blazed in front of the structure illuminated a great deal of space, and the Dodger found himself ina crowd ef people who were airing themselves in the pleasant night air. he boy strolled past the open doors and into the brilliant reception room. His sparkling eyes were on t’ e lookout. “Tm off o’ my old beat, sure enough!” he mentally exclaimed. ‘*This is paradise com- pared with the gloomy docks, where I’ve slept on bales and shadowed night prowlers for the clumsy cops. It must cost a power of money to live here, but if Donald told me fair, Larry must have feathered his nest from Solomon Strauss’s till!” At this juncture a stylisaly-dressed young man of twenty-four came down from tie ty te. and lighted a cigar at the cigar- stall. Dick ‘‘ spotted ” him in an instant. “That is my friend Larry!” he decided, watching the p oung fellow closely from an ex- cellent point of observation. ‘‘ He has enjoyed a boss supper, and tops off on a better cigar than he ever puffed about Solomon Strauss’s establishment. Ab! if Solomon could see him here, what a picnic there’d be!” Having enjoyed his cigar for a few mo- ments in the lobby, Larry Lang strolled to the pavement. . Dick Sly noticed that the fellow’s eyes were on the alert, Was he suspicious? Had Jack o’ Diamonds put him on guard? Several times he glanced covertly at his vy and all at once he started off ata brisk gait. The wharf spy followed him at 4 respectful distance, and saw him approach one of the numerous cabs that lined the curb waiting for customers,” Larry said a few words to the cabman, the door opened, and he got in. ‘Going to take an extended airing, eh?” ex- claimed Dick, as the driver mounted to the box. ‘* Well, Larry, you sha’n’t go alone.” The vehicle wheeled into the street, and as it started off on a straight line, the dock spy bound- (eee pene LT a LE LSD ——$___ — ed after it, and dexterously caught a snug posi- tion between the hind wheels. Dick could imagine Larry leaning back in the cab enjoying his cigar and revolving some cher- ished plans in his mind, The ferret of the cock was in clover. The cab kept on over the stones, down one street and up another, but all the while the horses were taking it toward East River. **'You’re carryin’ double thar! Unload yer extra trunk! Whip behind!” These sentences were yelled at the driver as the cab scattered a lot of gamins in crossing a square. Tae man in the box, a surly, iil-looking fellow, clutched his whip and leaned back, The street Arabs saw the action and redoubled their shouts. ‘‘A hanger-on, have I?” g:owled the driver. ‘‘ By Jehu! I like to cut the cab leeches loose!” And the next moment the cutting lash came down over the top of the vehicle and hit the boy square in the face! The blow stung like a scorpion, and made Dick shut his teeth hard. Still, be held on. A moment later a perfect storm of blows were rained upon face and hands, The Jehu of the whip seemed a demon, At last it became more than heroie Dick could stand, and he relinquished his hold and Cropped. The next minute the cab was gone. The wharf spotter had lost his prey! CHAPTER VIII. WHERE LARRY WENT. WHARF Spy Dick was inno good humor when he picked himself up amid the Jeers of the gam- ins who had witnessed the driver’s triumph. Because Dick’s clothes were respectable in ap- pearance, the sympathy of the little ragamuffins was not with him. If they had known that the boy was a dock gamin they might have s;.ared him, but this wasinformation which nobody had imparted. At first thought, and while the jeers of the rag-tag crowd rung in his ears, Dick felt like jumming into the pack and waging battle. His blood was hot. As if they did not want to tempt the wharf boy too far, the street Arabs gradually ceased their yells, though an occasional taunt sounded in Dick’s ears as ke moved away. He noted the direction in which the cab had disappeared before he started off. It was toward the river, then not very far away. He knew it would be useless to follow Larry Lang afoot, so he retraced his steps discomfit- ed, but by no means disheartened. ‘To-morrow I'll begin to get even with you, Larry,” muttered Dick. ‘‘ To-morrow, at ten, you will call on Peter Prayne in furtherance of the brilliant scheme which Jack o’ Diamonds has thought out.” In a little while Dick was far from the scene of bis failure, and his face was turned toward his old kingdom on the docks, We will go back and follow the cab. ‘*T cut that young cab leech loose!” exclaimed the Jehu, shouting to the passenger inside. ‘“Was there really a boy on behind?” asked Larry, showing a good deal of interest in the subject. ‘‘ There was nothing else, sir.” ‘‘ Won't he try it again?” ‘‘Not that gutter-snipe from the way the lash eut him! Oh, it takes Billy Bangs to cut ’em off !” And the driver straightened on his seat and went back to business. Meanwhile, Larry had finished bis cigar, but et fragrant perfumes of it sti]l remained in the ca ** Aha! to-morrow I enact a new role!” burst suddenly from his throat, and he rubbed his kidded hands as if in glee. ‘‘I guess I’m up in the piece to play it toa T. One zood turn de- serves another, and I’ve no objection to helpin’ Jack, seeing that I’m to profit by the success of the play. There’s to be no more Baxter street counter life for Larry Lang. I followed it as long as the goose yielded her golden egg, and when something better crossed. my path I left Solomon. Where are we now?’ Xna Larry looked out and noted the buildings which seemed to tell him that he was near his journey’s end, for a satisfied expression overspread his countenance. ‘‘ Another square and I’ll get out. I think the driver discovered that boy just in time. By Jove! it may have been Dick Sly, who is giving Jack so much trouble just now.” The cab kept on for some distance, when it drew up to the curb and the horses came to a stand still. The driver sprung down and opened the door, ee eee. Se ™ haneivwOKOI_l yyy TTS rrr ST SSS ses —-— As Larry made his appearance he handed the man three silver dollars, The cabman looked surprised. “Two of them are for whipping the street vermin loose,” said Larry, with a smile, and the man bowed and dropped the money into bis pocket. ‘*TDo you want to go back?” he asked. ‘Not to-night,” replied Larry, and the cab was turning in the street while he waited at a certain door for a response to his ring. The door was opened by a rather good-looking | woman of forty, who smiled as she greeted the young man, ‘“* Is he in yet?” asked Larry. ‘‘ He is up-stairs now,” was the reply. The following moment the ex-clerk hastened up a flight of steps and walked into a room at @ table of which sat a man with his back to the door. Hewas an odd-looking personage, stooped and homely; with a scattering gray beard on his face, and a pair of keen eyes behind old-fash- ioned spectacles, ‘*So you have come—at last?” he exclaimed in arasping voice as he turned the battery of his eyes upon Larry, whom he scrutinized from head to foot. ‘Well, ’'m here, which is a pretty good sign that ’'ve come,” was the reply. “Don’t you know that my time is precious?” continued the spectacled man. ‘*That’s why I came early,” smiled the young fellow. As he concluded ke drew a chair up to the table and seated himself before the man. ‘“* ve got the documents with me,” Larry went on, and he threw a packet upon the table. ‘‘There! untie them, Mr. Fleece, an’ see what you can make out.” Fergus Fleece was not exactly a lawyer, though he dealt sometimes in law. He had a dingy httle office not far from the house in which he had met Larry, and from it he sent_some queer advertisements to the pa- pers. He pretended to be an expert in es old titles to property, in hunting lost heirs, an in recovering hidden fortunes, Buried in the depths of New York and seldom seen out of his office, Fergus Fleece had a strange existence, He was naturally shrewd, knew the property laws of all countries, and had settled some strange cases, People who went to him, and they were many, soon found out that his keen eyes were not for nothing; he seemed to have the faculty of get- ting at the gist of an old document at a glance. He was the butt of many a joke cracked in ele- gant offices, but the jokers had to admit his shrewdness, Larry took several turns about the room while Fergus Fleece looked at the parchment- like papers he had thrown on the table. Every now and then he would cast a furtive glance at the old man as if to read his thoughts through his countenance. Allat once the old man uttered a singular ery. “Where did you get these papers, anyhow?” he exclaimed, looking up’ at Larry who had stopped in his rounds and was staring at him. “Why, are they worth something, Mr. Fleece?” and the young man came forward and rested his hands on the table. ‘They might be,” remarked Fleece cautious- nh " But you haven’t told me how you came by em. ‘* Won’t you excuse me if I do not?” “Oh, yes,” and there was a faint smile at the corners of the old n'an’s mouth where a smile was seldom seen. ‘‘I will say that, these papers may become valuable some day.” ‘* What do you know about the property they speak of? I told you some time ago tc hunt the matter up.” ‘*T bave looked into the matter a little.” “ Well?” ‘“‘T find that the only living heir, if indeed he or she be living, is the child of Morgan Blair’s granddaughter.” ** Just so.” “There is this difficulty, Mr. Lang. There are millions of people in this world.” ‘*T haven't the exact number, but it is mil- ions, Mr, Fleece,” smiled Larry, with a half- mock bow, ‘*'Yes, and we look for a needle in a hay- cock when we look for this child, who may dead.” A frown came over Larry’s face, but a smile sudden and bright chased it away, ‘*T want to know if the child can inherit if found,” he ejaculated. ‘‘ We'll discuss the un- important questions after awhile.” (E(0) (E| o ele)