Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 514 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

= | | | | PRN Or wise! 7 rye ot +s ca atts eens Ta SE 10 Broadway Billy’s Boodle. mo on oo we eee Se ie Te wre <a ay ai eR N——6—wwswm—=s: Elmore’s room, the old darky knocked, the door “Tt certainly is a very strange affair. It is some- opened, the maid invited Billy to step in, the boy did | thin I cannot understand at all.”’ so. and the door closed behind him. “Did ye ever have a surspicion, Polly?” Billy stood alone in the presence of the supposed “Did I ever have what?” Miss Elmore and her maid. “ A gurspicion; one 0’ them idees ye git that sich Polly could hardly resist the temptation to jum an’ sich things is sO an’ SO, an’ so forth, F’rin- up and make herself known at once, but she waite stance, you—”’ to see whet Biliy would say. ‘You mean suspicion.” For a moment Billy stood silent, turning his hat “Gert, an’ that’s whatT said. Did ye ever have around in his hands, and then he said: one of ’em meanderin’ through yer brain?” *“Wr— Miss - I—I’m here.”’ “Oh, yes, many a time.”’ Polly smiled and nodded, and could hardly restrain “Well, ’'ve got a surspicion now.” her laughter. “You have?”’ “T thought I wouldn’t be, though,” Billy declared, “You bet I have? an’ I’ve captured it, too.”’ ‘when that black shadder fell across th’ door down ‘What is it?” there. Bein’ as I am here, though, l—er— Say, I ‘Well, it’s a surspicion that your name ain’t spose ye reckernizé me, don't ye?” Polly Osmond no more’n mine is.” olly nodded again. “Oh! how can you think that?” “T had an idee ye would. Ye see, miss, I happened “ Tt’s.easy enough ter think so, when ye git th’ ter git holt o’ yer name an’ address, an’ thought 1’d | surspicion inter yer head an’ can’t git it out.” come round an’ ‘pollygize fer th’ way I spoke to ye “ But, Billy, you know my name is Polly Osmond. esterday on Broadway. Ye see th’ fact was, miss, | Haven’t we lived in the same house for ever sO ¥ mist ook ye fer somebody else, a gal that I’m awful | long?” sweet on. Her name is Polly, an’ that’s th’ reason I “Oh! that part of it is all straight; but did it ever called you Polly. Why, she looks jest as much like | oecur ter you that Mrs. Osmond might not be yer e, miss, as two square lumps o’ sugar looks alike. | mother?” t would be jest onpossible ter tell who from t’other “ Heavens! no, I never had such a thought in my one, if ye stvod side an’ side. 1l’m th’ sort o’ feller, | life!” miss, what wouldn't speak ’sultin’ to a la M fer a “Well, I’ve got it, then, an’ I've got it bad, too.” mint o’ gold, an’ 1 hope yell ‘cept my ‘pollygy as ‘Tt ean be easily settled, though, Billy. You can it’s meant. As fur that spider-legged dude o’ yourn | ask my mother—Mrs, Osmond—as soon as you re- that knocked me down, I—”’ turn home.”’ Polly could bold in no longer, but burst out in a “Sweet pertaters! you hain’t heard th’ news, merry peal of laughter in which Miss Elmore’s maid | have ye?” joined her. “No,” and the girl turned pale; ‘* what news?” Billy looked from one to the other in amazement. ‘‘ Why. th’ old tenement was burned clean to th’ He’ remembered, now, to have heard Maurice | ground last night.” Melvin tell Mr. Herman that Maud Elmore had lost ‘Oh! good heavens! Billy, are you in earnest her reason, and this seemed to him to indicate that | about ic? And my mother—was she hurt? Was she had. Hecertainly had not said anything funny; | she killed Y it wasn’t in him. ‘No, she got out all safe an’ gound, an’ then she A moment later he was more astounded than ever. aiappoaree’ Nobody has seen a sign of her since.” ‘As: soon as Polly could control her laughter she “Oh! what can it mean? and where can she sprung up, ran to where the boy stood, caught him | be?” by the hands, and exclaimed: “Give it up.”’ ‘“Why, Billy, don’t you know me—Polly ?”’ ‘‘T must zo and search for her at once, Billy stood and stared at her with eyes and mouth | if she is ili?’ open wide. , * Now, see here, Polly, don’t fret yourself. She’s Again Polly laughed. all right, of that ye kin be sure. She knows where «« Now see here,” Billy finally managed to say, “if | you are, an’ if she wants ye she kin send fer ye.”’ you think I'm goin’ ter allow ye ter monkey with my ‘ What makes you suspect she is ..ot my mother, feelin’s an’ affections in this style, ye’re mistaken. | though?’ Yesterday when I called ye Polly, ye got huffy an’ “ Well, sev’ral things. In th’ first place. she sent looked daggers an’ dynamite at me; an’ now, when | ye off ina mighty hurry with a woman she’d never I come ter ’pollygize to ye, y® call me Billy. an’ de- | seen before, don’t ye think so?”’ clare you're Polly. Now I'd like ter know jest who Polly began to reflect. is who. If you're Polly, where’s Miss Elmore? an’ Some things did seem rather strange, as she looked if you’re Miss 'lmore, then where’s Polly?” them over. ~T am Polly,” the girl answered truthfully. “Besides,” added Billy, “how is it ye look so ‘Where Miss Elmore is nobody knows. This is | much like this Maud Elmore?” Miss Elmore’s maid. AmInot speaking the truth?”’ * Why, I’m sure [ cannot tell.” turning to the maid. “ Well, that’s another surspicion I've got in my “Yes,” was the answer, ‘‘this is true.” umpkin. No two folks is made so near alike jest ‘But. sweet pertaters! how did you come here, if | fer fun, an’— But, my stay here may be cut short you're Polly? an’ what are ye passin’ Sober off as | any minute, an’ I reckon I’d better talk biz while iss Elmore for? There’s a mystery here as big as | I’ve got th’ chance.” a hoss, an’ hang me if I wouldn't like ter understand “Yes, if you have anything private to say, you it, Say, jest sheda little light on th’ subject, will | had better say it now.” " “Kerrect. Well, in th’ first place, then, has that detective been here to question ye?” ‘ ‘Really, [do not know. There was 4 gentleman ere, a—”’ “That's him, I’ll bet! One of these awful smart (in their own mind) sort o’ fellers, wasn’t he? an’ kept his eye glasses turnin’ round and round, like this,.’’ imitating. ‘* Yes, yes. that’s him,” ‘IT thought so. I’ve been takin’ his measure. I had an interview with him this mornin’. He thinks he’s awful cute, an’ I'd jest give a dollar ter take this yor out o’ his hands. What's he doin’, anyhow? lookin’ up Miss Elmore?”’ ‘Yes, I nelieve so.” “Well, what did he ask you?” “He wanted to know what kind of @ carriage I was brought here in, and—”’ “ What kind was it?” Billy interrupted, ‘“‘ Was it a square, closed carriage, somethin’ like a doctor’s rig, only bigger? “That is it exactly! How did you know? Have you seen it?” ‘*Reckon I have. Polly. But go On, an’ let’s hear what else ye've got ter say.” “Well, then he wanted me to describe the dri- ver—” ‘Could ye do it?” “No: I have forgotten how he looked.” “Wasn't he a big man, with pale face an’ red whiskers?” ‘** Oh, so he was!” ‘Well, what next?” ee “Then he wanted me to describe Mrs, Smith, and I did so as near as I could. Then he wanted m®é to tell just how far and in what direction I was taken from the Centre street tenement. And he asked me if I could tell the street and number when the car- riage stopped.” “Sweet pertaters! didn’t he wont the earth? I had an idee it was a detective'’s business ter find out sich things fer theirselves, Weil, could you tell him all he wanted ter know?” “No, | couldn’t. I couldn’t tell him hardly any- thing. It was a long ride, I know, but the carriage was closed and I couldn't see out, and when | got out I had a thick vail over my face and couldn’t see much, I took one quick look around, though, and I am pretty sure this is the stree where we stopped. The houses look like the ones I saw.” “Did ye tell th’ detective that?” ** Yes, I told him that,” Oh! what e? ‘‘T am willing to tell you all I know,”’ Polly an- swered, “but that isn’t much. I donot know how Icame here any more than you do. All I know is that when I went to bed last night I was plain Polly Osmond, but this morning when I woke up I found myself Maud Elniore. Her rings were on my fingers and her earrings Were in my ears, just as you see them now. And the real Maud Elmore has dis- appeared.” “Sweet pertaters! This sa mystery! Hang me ifI—. Say, though, if you’re Po Wy I want hee ter prove it to me. The appearance o’ things ain’t satis- factory. This is a case where I can’t ‘pend on my eyes. I’m ruther inclined ter believe you ave Polly, but I want proof of it.” ** And what proof can I give you a ‘*Well, Vl tell ras If you’re th’ real an’ sure- enough Polly, you'll remember a little agreement ye made with me once upon a time, an’if you'll jest whisper inter my ear what that ’greement was, tll settle th’ hull question.” Polly blushed like a rose, and seeing that Billy was thoroughly in earnest, she gave him the proof he demanded. “That settles it!’’ Billy cried joyously; “ an’ now, Polly, I'd like ter see ye alone fer about ten minutes or so. Will this lady be so kind as ter—”’ “Yes,” said the maid, promptly and pleasantly, ‘‘cshe will. Iwill retire into my own room,”’ | And she retired at once, leaviag Billy and Polly alone together. CHAPTER XII. BILLY GETS A CLEW. “Gwrer perTaTeRS! Polly,’’ Billy exclaimed, the moment they were alone, * but this case beats all I ever got holt of, I've had my hand inter several detective mysteries durin’ my brief career to date, but this one is th’ daddy of’em all Itis somethin’ I can’t see through, nohow. Now, Pol, jest tell me all ye know about it, will ve? I may be able ter pick uD a pin} as ve BO along.” olly complied. She told him everything, as far as she knew it, from the time of her leaving the old tepement in company with Mrs. Smith, up to that time. And when she bad done, Billy cried: “Polly, there’s & stupenjus mystery here! It beats eny case on record, an’ I’m bettin’ rocks on it.” ‘““What did he say?” “Oh, he went right on asking more questions. You see I didn’t see the number of the house when I went in, and he tried hard to make me think of something about: its appearance that I could de- scribe it by.” i * And could you?”’ “No. not a thing, then; but I have thought of something since, and I have also proved to my own satisfaction that it was not thix house.” ; ‘Bully! this begins ter sound like real old biz, wry mentioned this ter nobody else, have ye?” “Good! What és yer clew?” “Why, I remember that the very first step lead- ing up to that house had a big crack across it, so”’— indicating on the window-sill—** and I’ve looked “ aeen steps of this house, and they are all whole.’ ‘Sweet pertaters! Polly, you're a trump! I bet now I kin git th’ bulge on this here mysterious mys- tery an’ sift th’ hull thing out. I’m goin’ right in ter win now, if I have ter spend my whole boodle ter do it. When this detective fever gits holt o” me. I’ve got ter give right u an’ turn myseif inter a reg’lar Pinkerton. Guess I must ’a’ been born so.”’ “ After all the experience you have had, I believe: you ill be a detective some day, Billy.” ““Mebby I will, Polly, if I don’t die. They say th’ ood most allus dies young, ye know.”’ “So I’ve heard. I guess you need have no fears, though.” “Thank ye—fer nothin’. ax a favor of ye, Pol.” ‘Well, what is it?” “It is jest this: I don’t want ye ter mention this: little clew about th’ crack in th’ step to anybody, an’ most ’specially that detective feller, Will ye promise?’ . “To be sure I will. I will be dumb as a cabbage if you want me to.” , “Allright. Don’t give that feller any more p’inte than he’s got already. It might not be safe fer him ter overload his brain, an’ he’s got all that’s goodfer him now.” ‘Very well, not another item will he get, then. I really would like to see you beat him,” “Well. that’s jest what ye will see, if it’s in th? wood. I'ma terror on springs when I git wound up, an’ I’m aimin’ ter win th’ confidence of Inspector Br— Helio! do my eyes deceive me? Gosh ter mighty! no! Sweet er-taters! if here don’t come that spider-legged dude who is engaged ter be mar- ried to Miss Elmore. Git onto his airs, will you. Ain’t he a lu-lah? Great toothpicks an’ darnin’- needles! he’s comin’ here ter see you, too! Here’sa urty state o’ things, as they sing in th’ Mikkydoo. hat’s. ter be did? Is there any place ‘round here where I kin hide?”’ Heavens!” Polly gasped, “ you don’t mean to say he is Miss Elmore’s lover, do you, and that he is: coming here? Oh! what in the world am I to say to: m?’ ‘“'That’s bim, Polly, sure as guns: an’ he’s comin’ here, too. He’s heard that you have lost your rea- son, an’ no doubt he's comin’ ter sympathize with ye. Aster what ye’r’ ter say to him— Lordy! it is th’ best chance I ever seen in my life ter have some fun. You kin jest let on that ye’re ascrazy asa bed- bug, an’ make him wish he’d been born a howling Hottentot. Oh! let him come up, by all means; an” then give it to him hot an’ strong an’ right an’ left. , Call him a dude, Tell him he’s n. g. Tell him ye had a dream that he’s tryin’ ter swindle th’ bank. Teil him— Hello! there he is at th’ tinkler now. Where'll I hide?” Maurice Melvin it was, and he had just rung the bell. “Get into the wardrobe there,” Polly om, di- rected. ‘There is plead of room, and ycu can leave the doors open a little.” “ Jest th’ place,” Billy & more he was within the w Polly then called the maid. _ “Did you call me?” the maid asked, as she came in, -**- Yes; Miss Elmore’s lover is coming, and I sup- pose I must see him. |, “Where is the boy? “He is hiding in the wardrobe. He has met Mr. Melvin. and does nct care to be seen,”’ “And what do you want me to do?’ “+ Simply way here with me. Mr, Melvin will take me to be Miss Elmore, of course, and as he has heard that Miss Elmore has lost her reason, I shall give him reason to believe it is so.” + Mhestnut!"’ whispered Billy from the place where: he was in hiding, , “Nut this time,” Polly retorted, quickly; “ some other time.”’ ; Billy groaned as though it had bit bard. In the mean time the old darky had opened the door below and admitted Mr. Melvin. 5 “How is Miss Elmore?” the latter asked. “She am bad,” was the reply; “she am not her- self er tall.” - “Ts any one allowed to see her? “Oh! yes; she am not sick, only she am jes‘ out ob fix in her mind.” “Tt is sad—sad indeed. Is she wholly non compos, Say, though, I want ter ed, and in a moment robe and out of sight. i aati LE ae or—’’ “Sah ?"’ “T mean is her reason completely gone, or only artly so?” . “Tg *fraid it am "bout gone; she do talk pow’ ful’ t av) . Teo bad—too bad. Are Mr. and Mrs. Elmore ip, or is either of them?” «No, sah, dey am both out,” ‘3 - TIAN tod ZL y po’ Ga Cd -—~—— ¢ he a = + -——.ee = ee ee :