Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 516 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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4 grave, and repeated his injunction of caution with great earnestness and distinctness, He knew that Palgrave was sharp, and as he had been running a race with law so long, it was not likely that he would move about blindly and give every stupid fellow an easy chance to run im down. Plainly ‘‘ Captain Tiger” would use skill, and Tartar Tim must do the same if he ex- pected to accomplish his work. ‘*TPll tell ye jest what I expect,” said Jed, in conclusion, ‘*‘ I b’lieve that the man, ez he seems hyar, is in disguise; an’ | expect him ter go ter some house, lay aside his disguise, an’ come out a diff’rent man entirely. How’ll you recognize him then?” ‘*Onec’t let me look at de chap,” replied Tim, growing interested, ‘‘ an’ ll know himag’in, He may change his face an’ hair an’ shape o’ body, but there’s blissed few men hev two ways av walkin’. lll spot de feller by his gait.” Jed looked at the ‘‘ Tartar” in admiration. **'You’ve got a long head!” he declared. ‘*Don’t know ez it’s longer than de average, but I’ve had to use it a heap—it may be.” ‘* Well, do this work an’ bring me word ez I said, an’ you shall be paid ev’ry cent I promised. ho off now; don’t let the chap slip ye ef you kin elp it, — o saying Mr. Jackley moved briskly away. Tim Thistle looked after bim with the thoughtful expression peculiar to his face. ‘What’ve I stumbled on now? Ef looks go fur annything, dat chap is a rough an’ sharper. How about de man he wants me ter dog? Ef he’s decent, ’'m not gom’ ter give p’ints to dat feller; not much! But I reckon they’re birds av a feather—prob’ly pals, an’ one wants de other spotted. f dat’s it—Ill see!” Tim lounged around quietly for half an hour. Then Leonidas Palgrave came out. The Tartar recognized him, but showed his natural shrewdness at once, Without seeming to take any notice of Palgrave, he watched him out of the corner of his eye and stood ready for action. The burglar chief looked attentively around, and then sauntered northward. Tartar Tim was in no haste to follow, but at what he deemed the proper time, crossed the street and moved in the same direction in a way which indicated that he had no serious thought in the world. | Palgrave went quietly along until he reached Washington Square, which he crossed. diagonal- iy and then, proceeding through Waverley lace, walked up Broadway to Astor Place, through which he moved in the same deliberate way. His course was a natural one for a 2 get yet Tim Thistle began to feel dissatisfied. Why it was so he could not have told, but the impres- sion was strong in his mind that all his care was being thrown away. His brief view of Pal- grave’s face had convinced him that he was a resolute, crafty man, and the ease with which he was allowing himself to be followed, without ap- pearing to know it, impressed the ‘boy spy as suspicious, — as be right or wrong? Still Palgrave went serenely on; still followed the Tartar. Two or three more blocks were passed, and then Palgrave turned and came back, Ordi- narily there would have been nothing suspicious in this, and his movements were natura] enough, and Tim tried to believe that nothing was wrong. He had no time to secrete himself, and as flight would have betrayed all, he paused before the nearest window and began looking at the wares there displayed with feigned attention, As this was only a saloon, and the wares some dingy old bottles, the view was not very interest- ing, but the artifice was well enough. algrave walked quietly back. Tim Thistle was watching him secretly, but there was no sign that the man noticed him even casually. Appearances are deceptive, however. Captain Tiger reached Tim’s side, still looking straight ahead, but at the moment when he seemed about to pass by, his hand suddenly shot out, seized the boy by the arm, gave him a jerk and a push, and then—the Tartar was inside the saloon, the prisoner of Captain Tiger! All this had been so craftily, quickly, resist- lessly done that Tim could not lift a hand in op- position, and when he was finally allowed to use, he knew that he was in a fix. The saloon was a low, miserable place, where dirt and squalor reigned supreme, and the two men who occupied it were filthy, liquor-bloated creatures of the lowest order. Captain Tiger flashed a look around and, seeing that no one e was present, suddenly drev a revolver and thrust close to the prisoner's head. 88 OO ee a Tartar Tim. — + ‘Silence, you young hound!” he said, sternly. ‘* Utter one cry of alarm, and I will shoot!” * ‘*T’ve not yelled, hev 1?” retorted the Tartar, with surprising coolness. ‘“No, and you had better not. the door!” ‘‘See hyar,” remonstrated Tim, ‘‘I’d like ter know de meanin’ ave this? Why be I[ ’saultsd so? Ill hev ye know I am well up in de law an’ this is a case ave ’saujt an’ battery. Vi thank ye ter let me go out, an’ ef ye don’t do it, [ll hev a eop arter yez.” ‘* To chaos with your‘ cop!’ oppose me!” algrave glared at the prisoner ominously, but Tim, though he saw that he was helpless for the time being, was not as much frightened as the burglar captain wished. Higgins, one of the barkeepers, had opened a door at the end of the room, and Palgrave point- ed to it and added: ‘¢ Go in there!” ‘* What for?” ‘‘ Never mind. Goon!” The speaker stamped his foot angrily on the floor, and then, seeing that Tim did not start, grasped the boy by the arm and forced him that way. The revolver was also held against the captive’s head, and the Tartar found himself perfectly helpless. He yielded to the inevitable, and was conducted up arickety stairway to a room on the next floor. - This was even a worse place than the one be- low. A table and half a dozen cheap chairs comprised the furniture; the floor was unswept, and remnants of cigars mingled with dirt in lavish profusion. Captain Tiger pushed his prisoner into a chair. ‘¢ Sit there!” he ordered. ‘‘ Sence ye ask me so politely, I will. It’s not in me heart ter refuse yer invitation,” Tim cool- ly replied. , The burglar chief fixed a stern glance upon the speaker’s keen, composed face. ‘* Boy, who are you?” ** Dennis Rooks 1s me name.” ‘* Who told you to dog me?” Tim made a start, and affected surprise. ‘* Phat’s that?’ he asked. ** Don’t play the innocent dodge. ‘You follow- ed me all the way from Macdougal street. Now, I want to know who set you on. Who hired you to spy upon me?” Tim Thistle had seen enough to believe that his life was in danger, and he did not hesitate to turn from the path of veracity. He stoutly de- nied all that Palgrave asserted, insisting that no one had hired him, and that he had not inten- tionally followed his accuser. ‘‘ Why will you lie to me?’ snarled Tiger, glaring more savagely than before. ‘See hyar,” demanded Tim, “what kin I do ter please yez? Shall I go on an’ till what’s not so? What good would it do you or me? It’s de truth I’ve told yez, an’ don’t ye forgit it.” ‘*Do you know Jed J ackley?” ‘* Niver heerd ave him,” **T believe you lie.” ‘* Bel’ave what ye please,” sulkily replied the Tartar. ‘*You are very kind, and I am ‘pleased’ to believe the truth. You dogged me; somebody hired you to do it; and I am going to have a clear confession before you leave here.” ‘You'll k’ape me hyar until de world ends, then.” “You've got grit, haven’t you?; A good quality sometimes, but villainously bad when brains are lacking to back it up.” ‘*Have you tried it?” retorted the street spy. ‘* Silence, you scoundrel! Do you know, I have a good mind to blow your brains out?” ‘Ye jest intimated that I hadn’t anny.” “Sharp as a brier, aren’t you? That won't help Pia however. Do you see this revolver?” nae Higgins, open Don’t you dare “It’s a good weapon, well loaded. Now, I want to know whether you prefer to confess, or have me shoot you?” “Ef I had annything ter confess, ’'d do it. But I haven’t; ye’re on de wrong track.” Captain Tiger suddenly reached over, Tim, forcibly by the arm, and thrust the revol- ver against his temple. ** Now will you ”” he demanded. ‘* Can’t tell what I don’t know, boss.” Tim’s voice was steady, and his face remark- ably calm, though it must be confessed that he *was far from being at ease. One touch of Pal- ve’s finger would send a bullet through his ead, and the captain certainly looked fierce ee But the weapon was suddenly re- mov “Boy, I'll give you five dollars to speak out.” ‘‘T’d like de money, but I can’t till what EI” don’t know.” Palgrave gnawed fiercely at his lip for a mo- ment, and then angrily added: ‘‘T’ll bring you to time—you don’t leave this. room until you confess, DU hold you prisoner until doomsday, if necessary. Look around! See that barred window, You can’t escape, you. see. Well, Pll keep you here, without even a crust of bread to eat until you cave. Under-- stand? Now I must leave you, and I go with this word of farewell: When you get ready to: talk, just notify my man below. They will then: ive you food, and I will come as soon as I can. ut, unless you do confess, you shall starve here!” As Captain Tiger spoke, he glared at the pris- oner in his fiercest manner, and then moved to-- ward the door. There he paused for a moment: and looked back. ‘Will you speak out?” he asked. ‘“*Can’t tell yez what I don’t know, boss,” per- sisted Tim. Palgrave muttered something angrily and went out, slamming the door behind him, The» key grated in the lock, and then the stairs: creaked under his feet as he descended. Tim drew a long breath and arose. ‘‘ Reckon I’m in what Five Points Phil would: call a ‘ pestiferous scrape,’” he observed. ‘‘ How be 1 to get out?” He devoted the next few minutes to an exam- ination, but this only confirmed Palgrave’s as-- sertion. It seemed to be utterly out of the question for him to escape. Admitting this at last, he sat down to meditate on his situation. It was a serious one, yet his courage remained ood. . Hark! what sound was that? The stairs be— gan creaking again, and he looked anxiously toward the door. What meant this fresh visit?’ Had Captain Tiger’s heart’ hardened? Was he: returning to carry out his worst threat? The key grated in the lock; the door opened. Palgrave was not there, but Higgins and the: other ruffian were. They came in, closed the door, and directed a look toward Tim Thistle, which gave him a thrillsuch as Palgrave’s worst: actions had not aroused, These men were of the low and brutal order, and their aspect was. so ominous that the prisoner’s heart began to» beat rapidly. ‘“‘Hyar he is,’ said Higgins. ‘“‘The beauty- bird is hyar, an’ we'll fix him. Thank fortune I ain’t got the cap’n’s soft heart, an’ I don’t let no miser’ble boy knock me out. I keep an hon- ist, first-class house, an’ I ain’t goin’ ter hev no» kid run ter the p’lice an’ tell on me.” ‘‘That’s the talk, ol’ man!” declared his com-- panion. Higgins drew a revolver. “Boy,” he continued, “‘ef you know any rayers, say ’em quick. Yer time in this world is up, an’ my shootin’-iron will snuff out the: candle o’ yer life in jest two minutes!” CHAPTER IV. PHIL’S REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE, WHEN Five Points Phil left his boy friend, he: went at once to Nineteenth street. His sole ob-- ject in answering the advertisement was one of curiosity. Miss Dorothea Sykes, whoever she: was, wanted a boy, who was “ fond of cats,” to» run errands and make himself useful. This advertisement, would have passed unno- ticed by him if it had not been for the clause: referring to cats. This excited his curiosity}, and he was determined to know what it meant. He reached the house, which was old but of respectable appearance, and rung the bell. The door was opened by an old woman, who looked honest and stupid to an extreme, He made: known his errand, and the servant conducted him up-stairs to a large room. ‘Here is a boy; Miss Sykes,” she announced,. as mechanically as though she were a machine. ‘*Come this way, young men, please.” It was a gentle voice, and Phil felt his nature. growing milder and better, as he looked at the old lady in the big easy-chair. She was large and heavy, and her abundant hair was eg as white as snow. But it was the broad, full face that impressed him most. Age had in this. respect dealt kindly with her, and despite the wrinkles thereupon, there was a singular air of freshness, peace, gentleness and genuine kind- ness exp in every nota worldly face was eg at a glance, and Phil felt that intentional rudeness to this: old lady would be a tive crime. She looked at him with kind interest. ‘‘ Have you come in answer to my advertise- ment?” she asked, in her former tone, | | (ECO) AMUN E! ON Oe) cS feature. That it was- a Ne ee _— | Se ee — com