Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 524 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 The Engineer Detective. wouldn’t part with: those trunks fordouble what | Some time later he heard the clatter of a | Brace led the way, and he and Burke picked they cost’ me, and they did not cost a trifle, | wagon coming down the street in the rear of | up one of the trunks either.” the house, Mrs. Tyler opened a door right at the foot of ‘‘ [ think it kin be done as slick as grease.” It stepped, the stairs, disclosing a modestly furnished bed- Burke thought it over carefully, and finally Then a moment later he heard steps ap- | room. exclaimed: proaching the house, followed by a knock at a It was the room they had assigned to Mr, and ‘* Brace, [ll do it!” rear door. Mrs, Palmere. ‘‘Good fer you! An’ if I don’t do th’ job Instautly he left bis sheltering. tree and hur- Into that room the trunks were taken. right up to taste, take may head tor a football.” | ried around toa corner, where he could seeand; ‘If am glad to have them with me again,” urke wrote a note to the clerk without delay, | hear what passed. Mrs. Palmere remarked, ‘*‘ for I feared | had and put it into his friend’s hand. Just as be reached there the door was opened | parted with my costumes for good and all. ‘* There,” he said, ** that will no doubt do the | to the man who had knocked, and a voice ‘“‘And for other reasons, too,” added Mr. business for you. Itis aboutin the sense you | asked: Palmere. put it. It tells him that I have decided to spend ‘* That you, Brace?” Redlight Ralph could hear what was said, but two days with a friend, and want my trunks, ‘* Yes,” was the answer; ‘‘ come on, now, and | could not see the speakers. I also tell him to hold the room for me, asI shall | we'll fetch ’em in.” ‘‘T notice this biggest one don’t go very high return there.” . fer heft,” remarked Breice. ‘* Bully!” cried Brace, ‘‘ that will do it—good GHAPTER XII. ‘‘No, you are right,” agreed Mr. Palmere. style.” A WONDROUS REVELATION. ‘‘ That is my trunk, and my wardrobe is not so REDLIGHT KALPH was decidedly interested. extensive as my wife’s.” What meant this new move? ‘‘{ should say not. In fact, a feller would The man who had just come was ‘“‘ Brace” | think it was empty.” Tyler, and the other was unmistakably Mr, ‘* Tt, may be, or nearly so,” Palmere—if he could lay claim to that name ‘*T must show you one of my costumes, Mrs, honestly. Tyler,” Mrs. Palmere remarked, ‘‘ You think Ralph was but a few steps away from them, | this dress so fine, I will show you one that will and could see their faces, though of course not | eclipse it. Burke, have you the keys?” distinctly. ‘* Yes, here they are.” ‘** Are you sure,” Burke questioned, ‘‘ that the ‘‘ Tet me have them,” coast is clear?” As said, Ralph could hear but could not see, ‘*Sure as I kin be, in course,” Brace an- | and he wanted to make useof his eyes as well as swered, ‘I didn’t ‘low th’ shadder o’ th’ wagon | his ears. ter drag behind any, you bet!” Grasping his revolver firmly, he descended ‘* And the Expressman?” the stairs until he could look into the room, ‘*Ob! he’s laid out fer keeps.” It was dangerous, so far as the risk of dis- ‘** Not dead?” covery was concerned, but being armed he had ‘* No, in course not; think I’m a fool? I only | no fears. hit him hard enough ter keep him still. Come, When he looked into the room he saw that all though, biz first and talk afterward,” had their backs toward the door, and Mme, As he spoke, Brace turned and hurried away | Sibylla was unlocking one of the trunks, toward the rear fence, and Burke followed. Ralph could not remain there, for discovery They left the door open. wien certainly follow if he did. They were gone several minutes, and when He looked around. they returned they carried a big trunk between On one side of the room was a glass door, them, covered on the opposite side with a cheap lace ‘*The trunks from the hotel!” the watcher | curtain. mentally exclaimed. Evidently the door opened into an adjoining Such they were, as the reader knows. room of some sort, The two men carried the trunk up the two If he could find that room, and get into it, he steps to the porch, and on into the house, could look through the glass door and see every- hey evidently put it down in the hall, for | thing that was done, es were gone but a moment, He resolved to make the attempt. hen they reappeared and went down to the Stealing on down the remuining steps almost street again, a new thought came to Ralph. as noiselessly as a-cat, he flitted past the open He decided to go into the house and see the | door unseen, and then made his way along the adventure to the end, and learn all he could. ball, The scheme was not put in operation at once, Instead, Brace waited until it was quite late in the afternoon before he left the house, It was then that he was seen by Redlight Ralph. Brace went to an Express Office and engaged a wagon, and the first one that came in wasas- signed to his use, e had to wait some time, though, before one came, When it did come, he mounted the seat beside the driver and told him where to go--to the Grand Hotel. Aud they arrived there, as shown, sbortly after Footboard Frank had gone away. When he entered the office Brace stepped up to the clerk, tossed the note to him, and said: ‘*]’m here fer them trunks, boss,” ‘¢ What trunks?” the clerk inquired as he pick- ed the note up. ‘*There’s th’ note that’s ter tell ye; that’s all I knows ’bout ’em.’ The clerk opened it and read. ‘**Oh! yes, IL see,” he said. ‘* Where are they?” Brace asked, Up in Parlor No, 4, I will call a porter to help you down with them.” ‘Oh, by the way,” Brace added, ‘‘ here’s th’ key he sent fer me ter give ye, an’ he said you was ter keep it till he kem back here,”’ If the clerk had had any doubts about Mr. Tyler, this must have put them aside. If notsent by Mr. Palmere, how could he bring the key? A porter was called, and it was not long when the trunks were safely aboard the wagon, It was now growing dark. ‘‘ Where to now?” the driver asked, as Brace And he lost po time in putting his thought Feeling his way, he soon found another Sprung up. into action. door. ‘*To Forty-one Maple avenue,” was the reply, Hurrying around to the steps he sprung up He tried it. It was unlocked, and opened into a very nar- row room that was evidently used as a store- room. | It was the room into which the glass door opened, and the light that came through from the other room revealed its size and shape, and indistinctly its contents. There was a key in the lock on the outside, This Ralph removed, put it on the inside, and then slipping into the little room, closed and locked the door and removed the key. This done, he stepped quickly to the glass door and looked ane 08 He was here secure from observation, because the lace curtain completely hid him, Mrs. Palmere had just raised the lid of the trunk. She was about to remove some of its contents, when suddenly she sprung to her feet with the exclamation: ‘“‘ Somebody has been into this trunk!” ‘‘What?”? demanded Burke, eagerly, as he took a step forward to look. ‘‘T say somebody has been into this trunk,” the woman repeated. ‘Its contents have been overhauled since I packed it.” ‘Perhaps you are mistaken,” ‘‘Tam not mistaken. The things are not as [left them.” , ‘“Tt is strange; who can it have been?” ‘‘T do not know, unless it was that detec- tive. ” : ‘‘Confound him! perhaps it was, _ If so, and he has learned the secret of the trunk, it is well for us that we are out of his reach.” Mrs. Palmere bad given Burke a cautionmg signal, but the words were out. ‘The secret of the trunk?’ questioned Brace: ‘‘what is the secret of the trunk?” Burke laughed. ‘“T meant to keep that little game to myself,” he said, ** but since I have let out about it I will show you.” There was a settled frown upon Mme. Sibylla’s face, but Burke went on: in a voice Joud enough to be heard by all who stood around, Away the wagon rattled, Brace sitting behind the driver on the end of one of the trunks. Maple avenue was one of the most fashionable thoroughfares of Oakvale, and was on a hill in the western part of the town. The nearest way there from the Grand Hotel led through quite a disreputable quarter. And it was in that way that the Expressman started to go. When about half-way between the hotel and Maple avenue, Brace Tyler drew a‘ billy ” from his pocket, and waiting for a favorable moment, suddenly reached forward and dealt the driver a blow over the temple that knocked him insen- sible instantly. Brace caught him as he fell, and pulling him back over the seat, laid him out in the bottom of the wagon. Then he caught up the lines himself, and tak- ing the driver’s place, put the horse to its best speed, and the wagon rattled on. In the mean time, Redlight Ralph was about changing his position from the steps of the closed store to one nearer the old house, lt was growing so dark that he could no longer see the gate with certainty. Leaving his place on the steps, he moved along until he came to the corner of the yard in which the old house stood. In the yard were quite a few trees. Ralph noticed that the shadows under them were deep and black, and saw that if he could secure a position there he could see all that tran- spired, and at the same time be perfectly secure from observation, 3 He resolved to go in. He was about to climb the fence, when he noticed that two palings were missing near to where he. stood, 50 he stooped and squeezed through instead, In a moment more he was safely concealed under one of the trees, and sitting down, await- ed developments, then noiselessly, and entered through the open oor, There was no light there, and first assuring himself that his revolver was handy for use, Rep felt around for a place to conceal him- self, First he stumbled against the trunk, and then his hand came into contact with the banister of a stairway. This guided him, and he moved as noiselessly as possible up to the floor above, remaining at the head of the stairs, where he could hear all that was said below. Brace and Burke had meanwhile taken the second trunk from the wagon. ‘* You are sure the fellowis only stunned?’ the latter questioned. ‘‘ Yes,” Brace assured, ‘‘an’ I reckon he’s ‘bout comin’ to,” ‘* Well, start the horse off, then, and let’s get out of sight.” Brace took the lines and secured them to the seat, started the horse and then sprung out, and the wagon rattled rapidly away. Afterward it was learned that the horse went straight to its stable, arriving there just about the time that the Expressman regained his con- sciousness, And, naturally, no little excitement was Created. _ Having started the horse, the two men lost no time in picking up the second trunk and start- ing for the house. They carried it into the hall, and then the door was closed and bolted. ‘“Where shall we put them now?” asked Burke. ‘Wait till I fetch a light,” answered Tyler, 2 and then we’jl put ’m into a room right handy ere, ** All right.” Redlight Ralph heard one of them move along the haul), and open a door, and then presently a 4 75 was brought. t was carried by Mrs. Tyler, and Mrs, Palmere followed her. Leen eee aaa ccc Denn nnn nnn EEE eer i a - er eee ee Comicbooks eee eae ne _eeEeEeEeEee