Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 526 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

2 : ‘— Ya ~ ie" ae age SeT yg Ne. a «> am - , . — sy * » 4 : ~~ ‘ * a ; ~ ~. f s 4... % [ et » + — . , a y= 4 = ae - - ” ~s ‘ * 7. 7 - ~~ - ; ee ee a * ab ery i rt sat S)-, Ps . . QP a ms = 7 ee & j - « - - ¢ - es oe — - —- ° = oe, = . j aoe ae a ” _ - 4 ~ Dae - —s . —* erat **Go it, ye pestiferous snakes!” he muttered, *‘Tain’t so sitterated thart I kin foller ye now, but ['m on the trail, and Vll git thar jest the same. I reckon this case is jest erbout rich enough fur my blood, arnd ef I don’t lay the Injun doctor out flatter than a pan-cake, | ain’t the ex-pride o’ the Five Points, Assooredly!” The boy retraced his steps to the Boulevard. Having a wholesome respect for the man Alf, he did not vénture to go near Eighty-first street again, but walked a few blocks north, and then took an easterly course, It had been his intention to go back to Daniel Beckwith’s at once, but something occurred to change his plans. He had just reached Ninth avenue when a man passed down that street at a brisk pace. Nat came to a sudden stop, and then turned the corner and looked after him, It was Doctor ig til Holdsworth! ‘* Hyar’s game!” thought the young detective. ‘The yarb doctor is goin’ som’ers in hot haste arnd it becomes my solemn dooty ter foller. Vil do it!” And he fell in behind Chippewa, keeping at a safe distance, and watching keenly for danger. Holdsworth, however, did not once look be- hind him, but, having reached LHKighty-first street; ascended the stairs to the Elevated Road, Nat did the same, Each purchased a ticket, and as adown-train at that moment arrived, romptly took passage. behind that occupied by the Indian doctor, and the pursuit was continued by rail. CHAPTER VII. DOCTOR CHIPPEWA’S SCHEME. THE young detective bad taken position at the front end of the car, and from this point he could watch to see when the Indian doctor left the train, without danger of losing bim, It was a long ride, for Chippewa sat nearly motionless until the corner of Sixth avenue and Fourteenth street was reached. Then he got out, de- scended the stairs and started east through the latter thoroughfare, He seemed to think that he was late, for he stepped out briskly, and compared his watch with the big, round clock on the opposite side of the street, North River Nat followed patiently, and was led to Union Square. The hour was not yet so late that the average New Yorker though it _ time to retire, and the light of the electric tower descending upon and through the trees made checker-board work of black and white, light and shade, upon the ground and the many per- sons who occupied the benches., —* Dr. Chippewa strolled through the Park, look- sharply at the loungers. He’s lookin’ fur some one, arnd thart one is a woman,” thought the attentive pursuer., ** Reckon he’s got an ap’intient.” His theory was soon veritied. Holdsworth started, and then went forward and greeted a girl on one of the benches. Nat’s sharp eyes at once marked her as one of tue lower classes— robably a servant. Whatever she was the M esterner did not hesitate to sit down beside - her, _“ Now whar do J come in?” thuaght Nat. Strong in the faith that what was to be said would be of interest to bim, he determined to hear it. Circumstances were somewhat in his favor. The other benches being so crowded was one good thing, and the shadow of the trees Was another. | __ Nat sauntered as_near as he dared, and then listened eagerly. He was well rewarded, The name of the girl proved to be Kitty Roslyn, and she was evidently pleased with Holdsworth, He talked in his blandest way, and was as polite as if she was a princess, but it soon. transpired that he was tempting her to She was a servant ina boarding-house, and he wanted her to steal some jewelry from cer. tain boarders and put it in the trunk of one Erwin Heselton, another boarder, with the pur- of having that unfortunate man proved he thief and, of course, arrested at once, Kitty demurred. She had never been a criminal, and though of weak nature, did not as) wish to be; but Doctor Chippewa used all his eloquence. He not only flattered and coaxed her, but produced money which he offered her then and there if she would agree to do the work, ¢ _ She hesitated—yielded, She was poor and - weak-minded, and in the end she agreed to do all that he asked. : This being settled, they separated, She said that she had a call to make on Avenue B before going home, and walked away in that direction; a TT The boy entered a car | North River Nat. while Doctor Chippewa went down Fourth avenue. All this North River Nat had heard without being discovered, ‘ ‘* Wal, hyar’s a go!” he thought. ‘‘ Chippy is a terror on wheels, arnd he’s goin’ ter ruin— Say, I’ve gotan idee. [ll see Erwin Herelton right.away ef I kin,” He hunted up a Directory and, by good luck, found the name he sought. The address was Bank street, and he made all possible haste to get to that place, He was soon in the presence of Heselton, who proved to be a fine-looking young man whom Nat liked at first sight. The boy plunged into his subject at once, and though Heselton was, at first, uncommunica- tive, developments followed. Heselton said that he had heard of Holdsworth, but knew no reason why he should be his enemy; but when Nat, who had an idea, asked if he knew Eudora Beckwith, they both suw clearer. Heselton had originally come from Herkimer county, like the Beckwiths; Eudora had once been his promised wife; but when some misun- derstanding arose they had quarreled and sepa- rated, and Erwin had decided to leave New York and go West, When this was told it occurred to Nat that Holdsworth, not knowing that the lovers had had trouble, and desiring Eudora for his own wife, had formed this scheme to separate them forever. Heselton coincided, He was as much attached to Eudora as ever, and when he heard of her danger, he decided to defer the Western trip, remove to the house of a friend up-town, und belp fight her battles, Nat had revealed to him all that he thought prudent about the case. The young New Yorker was too shrewd to tell all he knew to any com- parative stranger, The interview was prolonged for some time, and Heselton agreed to make the contemplated removal the next day, and then wait for further news from Nat. This being decided, the latter left the house, took the Elevated Road, and re- turned to Daniel Beck with’s house. He was so late in getting back that be barely missed being locked out; Katie McKeevin had sat up for him, but her patience had been nearly exhausted before hecame. Nat contrived to put her ina good-humor, and then retired, The next morning Eudora sent him out ona short errand, and then there was no more for him to do. it was evident that Daniel Beckwith told the truth when he said that the only object in hiring him was to have him near in cas: there were new developments in regard to Fore- +e Tom, ‘oretop Tom did not return, and the police were formully notified. This step had not been taken. before for two reasons—'l'om, like most sailors, was very uncertain, and he would cer- tainly resent an alarm if he was all right. North River Nat was no sooner at liberty than he set off for the pier where Patrolman Snyderham believed that the sailor had met with foul play. The place during the day was very unlike what it was at night. Wilson was not there as a watchman, and business was very lively all along the pier, Nat saw with considerable sat- isfaction that the same vessels were still at hand, for he had come with the intention of interview- ing the crews more thoroughly, t seemed odd to bim that any tragedy could have taken place there and they be wholly igno- rant of it, If Foretop Tom had been murdered anid thrown into the water there would have been a splash, while if the body had been con- veyed to the boat, it must have been taken across the deck of one of the larger craft. While he stood on the edge of the pier a voice hailed him from the deck of a schooner near at; band. He looked, and recognized a sailor whom Wilson and Snyderham had questioned the night of the mystery, ‘Hullo, my b’loved corntemporary,” Nat re- turned, ‘May I come aboard?’ ‘Come on,” was the reply. Nat promptly obeyed, and sat down beside the two sailors who were idling there, “This isa sharp rat I seen the other night,” explained his former acquaintance, ** Rats hev teeth, arnd they bite like Ceesar,” returned Nat, suggestively. 3 I don’t believe you want ter bite me.” Assooredly not. I ain’t on the war-path ter any £reat extent jest now.” ‘* Has that missin’ man been found” 0, Sir; he ain't, ‘What d’ye think on’t?” “T think A a wrong arnd maley’lert act, by ginger?’ oN 4 some pestiferous critter did him a The sailors exchanged glances. ‘‘He war a salt-water rover, jest like you two, arnd you ought ter feel moved ter pity fur him ef a land-shark got away with bim, ‘*That’s about so.” ‘“*T can’t git the idee outer my head, Mr. Sailor Man, thart somebody round hyar knowed more erbout thart affair than was tol’.” ‘Why so?” ‘* Your schooner was right hyar, arnd the row-boat must ’a’ b’en jest beyond. I b’lieve the roughs crossed this deck, by ginger!” Nat had no reason to think so, but he wanted to impress the sailor, so he spoke with feigned confidence. * Youre ’way off, youngster, but thar is one thing cropped up this mornin’ which means business,” ‘* W hat’s that?” ‘** You see this handsome gent hyar.” The sailor pointed to his companion. de fh ‘* Wal, he’s Jack Riker, an’ he’s pretty nigh home, fur his sister lives in the house across the way; the biggest one, ye see. Wal, his sister tol’ him news this mornin’ when he called on her,” ‘What news?” : ‘* She asked him who had the drunken squabble on this pier Monday night.” ** Was there one?” a Mo Nobody knows o’ one, but she says she seen rs r Mebbe that was them sharks onter Foretop om, , ** Shoot me ef I don’t think so, myself, an’ ve notified the perlice.” ‘* That’s bad,” ‘Why bad?” Nat did not care to state that he wanted the detective work in the case all to himself, so he explained his exclamation by saying that he re- ferred to the news of the “‘drunken squabble.” ‘* What was it like?” he added, ‘*'Wal, she only chanced ter look out the win- der, au’ she seen the squabble, an’ then she says two o’ the men brought a third outer this very craft. She thought’one o’ our crew was ona spree, an’ never suspected anything wrong.” ‘*Didn’t I tell ve Foretop Tom was brung onter this "ere schooner?” asked Nat, trium- phantly. ** You only guessed at it.” ‘It’s a mighty good guesser that gits things straight, ain’t it?’ the young detective retorted. “ What a feller don’t know he must git at by instinct. Fax is fax, arnd they’re stubborn things. Assooredly! Now, Misther Sailor Man, be you sure nobody o’ your cr w bad a hack at Foretop Tom? Likewise, be you sure be ain't on board now ?” The sailor answered both questions affirma- hss ‘Then he was tooken away in that boat I seen, that night, dead or alive, arnd it’s my dooty ter find out which,” ‘ “Why don’t you start in as a detective?” asked the sailor, laughing at what he thought the absurdity of the idea. “Scranger things hev happened.” Nat coolly answered, as be arose to go, ‘Never guess how fur a cat kin jump ontil you’ve seen her try it with a rat fur a target!” With this sage advice the boy left the schooner, CHAPTER VIII. THE MEN FROM JERSIY, Wirnovr wasting any time North River Nat went to the next pier above, Around the point of this the boat In which he believed Foreto Tom had been taken away, dead or alive, hac gone that dark night when he sat and watched the river. Possibly some one there had seen it, If there was a night-watchman, and he could find him, something might come of it. | He had the good fortune to find this man on the pier, but he declared that be had neither seen or heard anything unusual, the night of Foretop Tom’s disappearance, \ Patrolman Snyderbam had already been around and asked him these questions, Nat soon found that nothing was to he learned there, and he went away somewhat disip- pointed. He had another point in mind, how- ever, and he lost no time in making his way to the foot of Highty-first street. Curefully avoid- ing the neigh! orhood where Alf lived, he walked along Riverside Boulevard, turned into the vacant lot before mentioned, and went on dowu to the river. A small sail-boat was skimming over the water just off-shore, and two or three boys stood on the bank, wistfully watching its movements, ll _— : LJ . ea . : . . ; Oe ee: y # | | i 7 , 7 4 ‘ i® ‘ ‘Jie plete Ct ‘ ode ae =. » ee Laban La RN — = ’ . - « * | © ' ¥ ~ - _ a ee ee —— a | .com