Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 583 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

4 ro Wrestling Rex. > — SN _ — ee eee knew that your mother was dead, and he came here to rob ber of— Well, I don’t exactly know what, for’sbe didn’t have many valu- ables. Waita bit! Did your mother have any- thing that she guarded closely—papers, or any- thing of that kind?” ‘* | don’t know,” ** Did the man take anything away?” ‘I didn’t notice; I was only thinking of poor mamma, Perhaps Maggie knows,” ‘Pll see Maggie.” The sppeken stood upon the upper floor of a tee e tenement-house on Baxter street, New ork. They were a boy and a girl, the former being a stoutly-built young fellow of about sixteen, while the girl was not over eleven, Upon them, and all through the house, the hand of Poverty had been heavily laid, yet they were noticeable for two things. They lived where their imme- diate neighbors were in many cases ignorant, lazy, unclean and dishonest, yet these two could be called noue of these. It is true that both were very plainly dressed, and the girl, in particular, would have been very ragged had not careful hands faithfully petcnes her coarse garments, She was scrupu- ously neat, and her face was an intelligent, in- viting one, despite the fact that it was now stained with tears, The youth was dressed in clothes that had not yet required patches, but they were very plain and coarse, and he, like the girl, seemed to be the heir of Poverty. He was chiefly noticeable for a gravity of expression and manner unusual to one of his years, but his face was good and honest, as well as frank and bold. His name was Rex Peters, while that of the girl was Ella Austin. They bad for some time been inmates of the tenement-house. Rex, who was an orphan, had a room in the quarters of a man named Toff- ing, but more commonly known as Umbrella Eph, a sobriquet given him because of his busi- ness. Ella had lived with her mocher, but Mrs. Austin was now dead, and the little girl was alone in the world. It was the uliar circum- stances which had followed her death that led to the conversation before recorded, Just as Rex had expressed a desire to see ‘*Maggie,” a stout, middle-aged woman entered the room, She was an honest-looking person, but she also looked very ignorant and stupid. ** Maggie,” said Rex, quickly, ‘‘ what has hap- pened here?” i the woman glanced at Ella and held up one hand. ‘* Hush—’sh!” she answered. . “T don’t mean about Mrs. Austin, for Ella and I have been talking about that. What about the man who has. been here?” ‘‘ He was a polacemon.” * Did you know him?” ** Oi did not,” : ‘‘ Then how do you know that he was a police- man?” ‘* He said dat he was.” | ‘‘ Did he have on ary part of his uniform?” ‘“‘ Oi didn’t notice.” ‘* Did you see his badge?” “« Oi did not.” e answered very promptly, and seemed to feel wholly at ease on the point. She had a headlong way of talking and acting which indi- cated unbounded confidence in herself and her abilities, but, it remained a fact that she made some deplorable mistakes. ‘* Then,” said Rex, somewhat s ly, ‘‘ why did you the man enter Mrs. Austin’s room, and do as he saw fit?—in any case, why did you let him'do it? Even if he was a policeman, and you had known it, what right bad he in there?” The woman’s eyes ondnci very widely. ‘Why, a polacemon has a. oight ter go iny- whar.”’ : ‘**‘ How do you make that out?” “Sure, an’ didn’t the coppers overrun. de rooms of de Maginnesses, Whin ould Pat killed bis wife whin he was droonk?” “That was a very different matter, Mrs. Maginnis was murdered, and the law and its officers, of course, took charge. $ case is not in the least like-it. Mrs, Austin died a natural death, and a policeman had no more business to come prowling around than I should have in Jay Gould’s house.” ; ; ‘Probably the p’lice knew de girrul was alone ”’ Maggie nodded toward Bila, in her usual con- fident way. Rex was deeply annoyed by her any ss Well, did the man take anything away with 1m? ‘** How do Oi know?” ‘* How do you know!” repeated Rex, sharply, and severe words trembled upon bis lips; but he put them aside and mildly added: ‘Of course we want to know what has been done, Maggie.” " Serhan. Well, Oi did see him putt a paper in his pocket.” i What kind of a paper?” . ‘““Oh! white paper—wid writing on it, Oi dare say.” ‘** Where did he get it?” ‘* Out ave the troonk.” ‘He took a paper from the trunk, put it in his pocket and carried it away, did he?’ Rex was becoming worried, ** Didn’t Oi say so?” ‘You certainly did, and now I would like to know why you let him take it.” Because he was a polacemon.” Rex made a gesture of disgust. ‘* See here, you,” added Maggie, ‘‘ who set you up fur a talker? Phat cull hev yez to till me my business, I’d loike ter know. It’s twice yer years, Oiam; an’ you can’t tell me phat to do, an’ phat not to do.” ‘* Never mind; I know you wouldn’t willingly do any harm, but I don’t like the idea of this man fumbling about the rooms. Did he say ers he was going to do with the paper?” été 0,” ‘‘ Would you know him if yousaw him again?” ‘*Oi’m not sure, either way.” ‘¢*P’'m sorry of that.” ‘‘ Phat are yez makin’ all dis fuss about, any- how?’ demanded Maggie, curtly. ‘‘ Phatif he has taken a few ould papers?” ** Pll tell you just what, Maggie,” Rex seriously replied. ‘‘ Mrs, Austin has lived in this house eight years, ever since Ella was two or three years old, but she has died and left Ella alone. She has left fala afew dollars—not enough to last a week—and Ella bas no one to whom she can go. She is poor and friendless. If she has a relative in the world she does not know it, for her mother never told her anything about her past life. Now those papers which the man took—very likely there was more than one paper—may have told the whole Goce and tee information which would enable Ella to nd friends. If they are lost she has absolutely no way to turn, and no one to go to; she is thrown upon the world at an age when she can’t help herself.” ; e last sentence was spoken in a lower voice, for he did not want to add to the sorrows of the bereaved girl. : Maggie’s confident manner had vanished. ‘‘Oi’m sorry ef Oi’ve done wrong,” she hum- bly replied, *‘ but Oi thought it was a copper, sure. Now see here, Rex, you look inter dis before it’s too late.” — ‘““1'm going to see if the police have done any- thing.” The lad’s voice showed that he considered such an investigation quite hopeless, ‘“‘Dat’s roight,” Maggie replied; ‘“‘you go right off. Dey will pay attintion to yez, ef ye once mention dat’ you are Wrestling Rex.” Rex did not answer; he scarcely heard what the woman said. He turned and spoke a few words to Ella, and then left the bouse, He felt a good deal troubled by what he had said. It was wholly a surmise on his part that the papers taken away by the. unknown man were of importance, but he an unusu- ally strong mind for one of his years, and he had a theory that there was more in this matter than appeared on the surface, He had known the late Mrs. Austin well. She had been a pale, and silent woman, and he had often thought in the past that there might be’ a romance in her life-history of which the world knew nothing. Once he ‘had casually asked some questions about her past, and she had looked at bim in a quick, strange way, and avoided an answer. She had been uncommuni- cative to all, but her gentle, patient life had won the hearts of all who knew her. Now she was done with life, and if she had had a secret it bad not been told. She had died suddenly of heart disease. Only for that it was not ‘hikely’ she would have left Ella so utterly unprotected, but she had died without warn- in . Tiatons her relatives could be traced, Ella must go toa charitabJe institution or be adopted_by those as poor as herself, out of pity, and New York is no place for a motherless girl, especially not the Sixth Ward. Rex was gone nearly an hour. anxiously awaiting bis return. ‘* Well, phat news?” she asked. ‘‘As I feared. No agent of the police has Maggie was = <j been here, nor have they ever heard of Mrs. A Bovorra, dat’s bad!” . orra s “Tt ts bad, Maggie.” *‘ Does yez think dat paper was of vally?” “TI think it was valuable. I may be wholly out of the way, but the idea is strong in my mind that it contained information which would have enabled Ella to find her mother’s relatives. If there was such a paper, it has been stolen by one who, for unknown reasons, was Ella’s enemy.” CHAPTER II. THE YOUNG DETECTIVE, THE more Rex looked into the matter, the more it appeared suspicious to him. It was soon an sstabliaiind fact that the unknown man had not only lied, but bad used great secrecy about his movements. No one had seen him en- ter the house; no one had seen bim go away. He had simply appeared at the Austins’ room, stated that he was a police officer, and, deceiv- ing Maggie, had then fumbled about the trunk all that e cared to. Of course, Ella was too young to realize the actual nature of the case, and Sagat had been too stupid to see that the police would have nothing to do with the trunk of a woman who, as stated by a physician, had died of heart disease. Rex questioned everybody he could find. It was not that he wanted to put himself forward, but though the peome of the house were kindly disposed toward the orpban girl, they had less leisure than he, 4 : Rex enjoyed something of a reputation in the Sixth Ward as a wrestler. He was learning a trade with a photographer, but the old gentle- man was not a patient maa, and did not care to have him around all the time when he was at work, so Rex, as before said, had some leisure time. After asking many questions about the un- known robber, and doing considerable thinking, he left the house and made his wey to Houston street. Ringing the bell of a certain house there, he asked the servant who appeared if “Phil” was in, and on being answered in the affirmative, he entered, and was soon in the presence of that person. The latter, who was a boy of about his own age, was reading a book, and he gave it a flour- ish as Rex appeared. ‘* Afternoon, oe b’loved corntemporary, af- ternoon! Hope I see yer wal, arnd enjoyin’ sech blessin’s as Providence bas bestowed upon ye. Shows a level head fur a critter ter dooly preciate the good gifts o’ life, though I can’t blame a man fur bein’ woebegone over pestifer- ous troubles.” ‘‘' There are a good many troubles, Phil,” The former speaker’s face bad been careless and jolly, but it suddenly grew grave. re you in trouble, Rex?’ 4c No. ’ ‘* What's up, then?” “Somebody else is in trouble, and I’ve come to you for help.” : ‘* Wharfore ter me; my good marn?” ‘“‘T suspect that it may need a little detective work, and you are just the person for it. You have made the name of Five Points Phil about as famous as though you were a regular detect- ive, and I know you work cheaper.” _ “All I tax is my car-fare,” replied Phil, a humorous gleam in his eyes, ‘ The Inter-State Commerce law don’t interfere with folks passin’ over nickels ter me ter be joodiciously used on hoss-cars. Assooredly not! But I am joob’us erbot this. School will soon open in this hyar ear o’ grace, 1887,arndlamreadin’-up. Arter it begins, no more ’round-town life fur Five Points Phil.” |! ‘‘ But you'll help me in this case?” Phil glanced at the book which he had laid own. ‘“‘T hadn't orter,” he replied, ‘‘ but_I feel the se Rex gave a full account of the supposed rob- OA small girl left alone in pestiferous pover- ty!” muttered Phil. ‘‘ Bad, I do declare. Pov- erty is a mean thing ter hev around, my b’loved corntemporary. Whena marn sleeps with it, walks with it, shares his clo’se with it, arnd a’- most starves With it, it’s a@ Mean companion— Poverty is. A smail girlleft desolate! Rex, I reckon I’ll walk over with ye.” They. returned to the tenement-house. The scene had not changed. Ella was still in sorrow and no One had appeared to state that the miss- ing papers were in his hands for safe-keeping. detective fever in my veins, bad. What's the, ’ ' ' pe-" -—s- — -—- | a ee . ee eee te oe TOs ate © {a com |