Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 516 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

A 5 had never before looked so honest and kind; it seemed to be draned in respectability, and cov- ered with promises of protection; the lights were brighter to his eyes than ever before, and they appeared like old friends who were twink- ling, winking and smiling upon him. Brave as the lad was his nerves had been se- verely tried in re Higgins’s den, and the change was very grateful. He lost no time in going to Macdougal street and when his quarters were reached he found Five Points Phil already there, reading a book. But the book was put down, and Phil looked at him wonderingly. ‘*Great ginger! is it you, my b’loved con- temporary ‘ e take me by s’prise. Thought you’d gone ter Europe, or j’ined an opera pomp ny ter sing eza prime donkey, ez they call it. as jest goin’ ter git out a s’arch-warrant, b’gosh!” The Tartar dropped into a chair wearily, ** You come near needin’ that same, Phil.” ‘*Hey? Idid? Great-ginger! hev you be’n in a pestiferous scrape?” ** T hev be’n in a pestiferous scrape.” The boy from Paradise Park grew suddenly sober. ‘** Tell me about it!” he directed. Tim Thistle obeyed, giving the story in detail, but dwelling more on the mysterious part of the case than his adventure. ‘* My b’loved contemporary,” said Phil, at the close, ‘‘ you hev surely b’en in an obnoxious pinch—you hey, assooredly. But you made one mistake,” ‘What was dat?” ** Why didn’t ye hev Tip Higgins ’rested?” ** Didn’t think ave it; besides, I don’t know as a cop would ’a’ done it fur me, as I’m a boy.” ‘Thar is boss-sense in that, and now that I think on’t, ’m glad you didn’t. Fax is fax, arnd they’re stubborn things. Timothy T., hyar’s a chance fur you ter do some detective work,” ‘* T know it.” ‘* You’ve run onter a pestiferous mystery; the air is blue with it. It seems that Palgrave, alias ‘the cap’n,’ is leader 0’ a gang o’ cut-throats o’ some sort, arnd that Jed Jackley, Higgins arnd Briggs is in the gang, Jed warnts ter know more about ‘the cap’n,’ who must be sailin’ un- der two flags. My »’loved frien’, I smell smoke, so ter speak, arnd ef you work up this case you'll get due credit, arnd, mebbe, be ap’inted patrolman up in the ‘ goat districk.’ ” ‘** Bejabers, I don’t want no ‘ goat districk’ in mine!” Tim cried. ‘‘WhinTI git sentenced fur crime Ill not go dere, but over to de Island. But, ave Pontes you'll help me in this?” **Can’t do it.” ** No?” ‘*No. Dvegot a sit in the House o’ Freaks!” Tim looked with wide-open eyes. ** What’s that?” he asked. ‘*‘[m ter take charge o’ a menagerie, arnd make things pleasant fur Mr. Mudstone arnd Miss Blazer.” ‘**T don’t understan’, at all.” ** Didn’t expect you would, but I hev arnswer- ed that ad., arnd the case is full o’ concentrated richness. Fond o’ cats? Waz-al, I should smile ef I ain’t, arnd I anticipate piles o’ fun with Charley Maun, Lunkhead, the Crew-slayer, Jawer in the Dark and the rest. When ye git an arternoon off, drop ’round ter the House o’ Freaks arnd [ll show ye ’round.” All this was not calculated to give Tim Thistle much light,.so Phil went into particulars, and told fully of his visit to Miss Sykes and the strange things he had seen there, ** So ye see I’ve dropped onter a piece o’ pes- tiferous rascality, ez well ez you. ew York is fuil o’ sich, arnd ef it wa’n’t fur boys like you arnd me, honest folks wouldn’t stand no chance, The p’lice can’t see everything; we youthful chaps must ’tend ter the rest. Mudstone arnd Blazer is my game.” ‘‘] think, me boy, dat you have the safest job,” remarked the Tartar, ‘See how I had to fight this evenin’. You’ve got ter use hi’d-work, but not fight.” ‘* Don’t be so sure o’ that. Ef you’s ter see Miss Blazer, arnd see her flourish that ’ere cane, arnd obsarve the spike in the eend on’t, you wouldn’t feel so sart’?in but I'll hev ter fight. I tell ye, Miss Blazer is a chief, arnd she may de- scend onter me like a flock o’ buzzards, Ef she does, I'll set Lunkhead, the Crew-slayer, onter her, by ginger! Say, let’s go over arnd take a squint at Higgins’s saloon,” Phil had changed his subject suddenly, and then clapped his cap upon his head. Tim liked the last idea, and they went out together, In fifteen minutes they reached the saloon. The place was dark and silent, and when the tried the door, it was found to be locked. Clear- Tartar Tim. ly Higgins had taken alarm and fled. It was useless to look for him then. At Phil’s suggestion, Tim then went to where he was to make his report to Jed Jockley. This was the latter’s boarding-house, but Jed was not in, The landlady said that he had received a visitor two hours before, after which he packed a valise and went away hurriedly—where, she did not know. ‘*Squire Jackley has skipped out, too,” said Phil, as he and Tim walked homeward, ‘‘ but I hev an idee you'll see ’em all ag’in. You arnd me hev both got cases ter work up, arnd we'll do it, arnd make tke pestiferous plotters quake at sound o’ our names, Yes, sir!” CHAPTER VIII. THE STOLEN JEWELS. OnE of the best houses on Twentieth street was that of Mr. Elbert Bainbridge. He wasa bachelor, reputed wealthy, highly respected, and a man who,in the words of those who knew him well, ‘‘was always to be depended upon by his friends.” By this they meant that, while never prodigal, he was always ready to lend a helping hand to those in distress. Mr. Bainbridge and his nephew, Harr Shelby, were sitting together in the former’s room. Harry, who was a strugg ‘ing young lawyer, had for years made his home with his uncle, The latter had been Neh kind and help- ful, and though he could not advance Harry to the front rank in his profession by means of his money, he did ward off the unpleasant vexa- tions which so often render the life of a young professional man, a precarious and gloomy one, Bainbridge looked to be forty-five years of age. He was, really, older, but his hair re- mained almost wholly untouched by time, and his years did not show in that respect. It was only the deep lines upon it that told of passing years, but when one marked the strong, thoughtful face, it was easy to surmise that close application to important, perhaps abstruse, studies had caused the furrows, Shelby was a manly, frank, intelligent-look- ing man of twenty-four, and generosity, candor and uprightness were natural elements of his character. ‘‘ Harry,” said the elder man, breaking a silence, ‘‘I want you to do an errand for me this evening.”’ ‘*T ll do it, willingly.” ‘* Do you know Mr. Seth Maudston?” ‘*T think not.” ‘** He lives on Seventeenth street, several blocks east.” sé Yes. ” ** [have been making some researches in which I think he can aid me. I will write a note which I desire him to answer at once. You will please bring back the reply.” ‘** All this I will cheerfully do.” ‘¢ Should he be out, please wait for him.” ‘* Certainly.” ‘¢ By the way,” pursued Bainbridge carelessly, ‘¢T understand that a young lady, named Stella Fielding, is now visiting there. She is from the country, but I feel some interest in her, and would like to bave you mentally analyze ber, and bring me a report. Engage her in conver- sation as much as possible, to see what her men- tal capabilities are, and give me a conscientious opinion,” ‘* Now you set a pleasant task for me,” said Harry, laughing. ‘* Remember that she is only a country girl.” ‘** Only a country girl! That’s the strongest recommendation you could give her. The city girl has the brilliancy of worldly experience; the country girl, the honorable conscience born of the green fields and the pure air she breathes. The offe is the glittering, flashing coals that sparkle in the grate; the other, the same sub- stance in its natural state, only waiting the touch of flame to glow and sparkle like the other.” ‘* But it requires worldly experience—city life —to make a woman’s intellect show to advan- tage,” ‘* And her heart to a disadvantage,” dryly re- plied Shelby. Mr. Bainbridge had not turned conversation ia this direction without an object, and his ex- pression showed how well he was pleased. ** 1 am glad to find that you are a philosopher, and a sensible one at that. All philosophers are _not that way. Well, [fl write the note and get you started.” This was done, and Bainbridge was soon alone. He stood at the window and watched Shelby as he walked away. ‘¢ Tf I ever had an earnest wish in the world, it is that the dear boy will admire Stella Field- ing. I would give half my fortune to see her his wife—that is, if she is the girl that report states her to be. She might not at first shine in society as his wife, but women are quick to learn, and the dry details of country life would soon be abandoned, in conversation, for the city world of general talk, books, amusements and the like, ill my artifice succeed? Will he like Stella? Ah! he is sublimely unconscious that this errand is only a trick of mine to have him meet the young lady, and that I have taken equal pains tu have Seth Maudston absent.” arry was unconscious of all this, and he walked over to Seventeenth street without any- thing serious in his mind. Reaching his destination, he was informed that Seth Maudston was out, but when he said that he would wait, he was shown into the par- lor, to the presence of Mrs. Maudston and Stella Fielding. Both were strangers to him, but he proceeded to make himself agreeable with the unconscious ease of a man of the world, nor did he forget his uncle’s injunctions, Mrs. Maudston, as has before been said, was a woman of weak character. She looked meek and was weak. She never had any decided Spe Ons, or, if she did, kept them to herself. If there was a subject upon which she could converse to acvantage, no one had ever dis- covered what it was. She was not one of Shelby’s “‘ glittering coals,” and all the experience of New York, Paris and London combined could not have made her an interesting conversationalist. This was fortunate for the success of Mr. Bainbridge’s plan, for it threw the task of en- tertaining Harry upon Stella. His first impression of her had been favorable. She was undeniably pretty and refined. Subse- quent developments proved that she was intelli- ent, well informed, pleasing and gifted with magination tempered with common sense, Shelby decided that he would have a very favorable report to make to his uncle. Fur- thermore, he decided that if he could have his way about it, this would not be the last time he would see Miss Fielding. They were speaking of her stay in the city when she chanced to observe that her arriv had been anything but agreeable. ‘** How was that?” Harry asked. ‘‘T was robbed.” ** Robbed! In what way?’ ‘*T started with several thousand dollars’ worth of jewels; when I reached here, they were gone,” Stella tried to speak lightly. The loss, terri- ble as it seemed, and bade fair to prove, to her, could be only a trifle to this rich young man— she judged that he was rich. All her efforts did not prevent a tremor of her voice, however. ‘That was unfortunate,” said Harry, with ready sympathy. ‘‘ Were you robbed on the train?” ‘*T have no idea when it was done; it is very mysterious, indeed.” ‘* How did you bring them, or try to bring them?” ‘In a little basket, which might have been a work or lunch basket.” ‘* Rather a novel way to convey jewels,” “Tt was Mr. Maudston’s suggestion. He thought that no one would think of looking for jewels in a lunch-basket. No one did look there,” she firmly added; ‘* the basket did not leave my hands at all. No one else touched it,” ‘‘Then how were the jewels taken from you?” ‘‘ Tt is a complete mystery.” ‘¢T am interested in this case. May I ask for particulars?” Stella told the whole story, reiterating her assertion that she had not released her hold on the basket once. Yet, though she knew that the jewels were in the basket when she left home, they were gone when she reached Maud- ston’s. ‘It’s very mysterious,” Shelby thoughtfully agreed, when the story was told. ‘‘ Of course you have informed the police?” ““My uncle has engaged a detective to work up the case.” ‘‘ One of Inspector Byrnes’s men?” ‘* A private detective,” éé Oh 19 It was evident from the speaker’s tone and manner that_he had but little faith in private detectives. is face grew more thoughtful. Stella bad not told him why she bad wished to sell the jewels—she would not bother him with an account of the mortgaged farm—but he had detected the fact that the robbery had been a severe blow to her; that she was now in deep /