Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 543 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

"= = Dodger Dick’s Double. z contrast between them as the man came for- ward, ‘*Mr. Chubb Copeland, attorney-at-law, 1 be- dieve?” began the giant, dropping into a chair that seemed to give under his weight. ‘Yes, ait.” ‘* My name is Foxcraft.” *“*Of New York.” ‘* Well, Mr. Foxcraft, what can I do for you this evening?” ' “ A good deal, perha visitor. ‘‘I understan Gibbs’s legal adviser.” Copeland started just a little. ‘*T have served the gentleman named at dif- ferent times,” he replied carefully. ** Just so. He has been unfortunate of late.” ‘““If you refer to the robbery, which is the talk of the town, quite so,” “It was a cool proceeding. I never heard anything like it. No wealthy man is safe with men of that stripe abroad. What have the police done?” ** Nothing.” The lawyer’s caller burst into a light laugh. ““And they will do nothing,” he exclaimed. “But I did not come to exchange such words as these with you, Mr. Copeland. While my busi- ness may be, in a certain way, connected with tie Gibbs affair, it does not demand an expres sion of opinion concerning the robber’s mode of operations. I am told that among the papers taken by the masked thieves were several which Mr, Gibbs was keeping in trust.” ‘That is true,” answered Copeland giving Foxcraf a look full of wonderment. ‘* Miss Lukens who is Mr. Gibbs’s ward was to receive several documents on her eighteenth birthday, was she not?” ‘**Do you understand this to be the case?” asked the lawyer. Foxcraft’s eyes seemed to get a mischievous twinkle. He met the lawyer with a sword as keen as his own. ‘*Do I understand that you refuse to answer me, Mr. Copeland?” he asked coolly. “As Mr. Gibbs’ attorney, I cannot answer questions which I deem improper.” ; “Fudge!” laughed Foxcraft, but the very sound of the laugh sent a thrill to the lawyer’s heart. ‘“‘I ask no question that I think lam not entitled to have answered properly.” ** Are you a detective?” ‘Do I look like one?” And the big man in the chair in front of the lawyer leaned forward and looked straight at Copeland. ‘See here, Chubb Copeland; men call you cunning in law and all that. You have a certain notorie which I wouldn’t take from you for the world if had to wear it myself. You need not sit there and try to steer me from my point by evasious or questions. I want straight answers, Some of those papers that left the broker's safe the other night were coming to Lucy Lukens, his ward, weren’t they?” ** We will say yes.” The reply made the giant inquisitor smile. “Very well,” said he, ‘On her eighteenth birthday, which will occur within a few weeks, her guardian was expected to give them up.” ‘*T believe so.” The lawyer’s dogged tones told that he was answering under protest, and Foxcraft seemed to take secret delight in forcing the replies from bim »’ smiled the lawyer’s you are Norris “What was the nature of those documents?” continued the big man, “The envelope containing them was kept sealed.” Sealed with wax, hey?” *I think so.” know of their existence in the broker’s hands?” ‘*T presume so.” ‘I don’t want any presumption,” and the broad hand of the speaker dropped not very lightly on the table within a few inches of the lawver’s elbow, ** Well, I guess she knew they were there,” ** And the nature of them?” ‘*They were sealed up, you know?” en t t those rs ““T don’t know.” os Hiss The reply came promptly as if the lawyer had expected the question. ‘ How did he get them?” ‘*'You stump me again.” A ‘Tm good at conundrums ain’t I, Copeland?” There was no reply to this sally. ‘*'You’re the first lawyer who doesn’t know all his client’s secrets. You have been Norris Gibbs’s legal adviser for years, but you don’t know how he came by a lot of papers which are valuable enough for him to offer five thousand dollars for their return,” ‘He lost more than those papers. You over- look a very important fact.” “Dol? Thanks, Mr. Copeland.” There was mock gratitude in every syllable of the last sentence. So,” he went on, “you don’t know how those papers came to fall into the broker’s hand? Didn’t he receive certain valuable documents in trust the day Lucy’s father died?” ‘**T cannot tell you.” Foxcraft leaned back in his chair and Icoked across the table at the city lawyer. — ‘* Well, [don’t intend to pry your jaws apart,” heexclaimed, ‘‘ You can retire as deep into your den as you please, Mr. Chubb Copeland. I am neither detective, nor a relative of Lucy Lukens. I dropped in to find out a few things, you know. I guess I’ve had pretty good success, despite your tartness and assumed ingnorance.” These were pretty harsh words for the lawyer to swallow in his own office, but one look at the Goliath who filled the chair told him that policy Reenenes that they be taken down without cavi Therefore Copeland remained as meek as a lamb, only hoping that the unwelcome visitor would get away as soon as possible. “I didn’t intend to render you speechless,” suddenly laughed Foxcraft. ‘‘ You'll find your tongue again before [I’m out of the building. Those papers are going to be restored to Lucy Lukens, or somebody will know why they are not. As I have told you, that robbery was a cool affair, and New York isn’t done talking about it. Mr. Gibbs has given the city sleuths some spicy employment, and they seem to have their hands full, too. You can go back to your window now and watch the Square for clients. There’s no money in Ferdinand Foxcraft to- night. You haven’t given any Jegal advice, and I have none to pay for. So we quiteven. Aha! good-night, Mr. Copeland.” The lawyer was too amazed to respond, and when he did find his tongue and burst out into a torrent of indignation, his visitor was quitting the building. ‘*In fortune’s name, who is that city Satan?” cried Copeland. “ By Jupiter! his visit means something.” He jumped up, grabbed his hat and rushed out, Meantime Foxcraft had reached the street, where he had been met by a small, heavy-set man who seemed to boil over with eagerness, ‘What did you learn? I’m dying to hear,” asked the little man, clutching the giant’s sleéve. ‘*Not here. The street has a thousand ears, Come along!” Then the two hurried away, followed by a boy who looked very much like Dodger Dick. CHAPTER III. IN A NICE FIX. ‘Now for a little work,” thought the boy at the two meh’s heels, ‘‘I have been anxious to pick those fellows up ever since the big one stopped me on the way to the broker’s house, Mr. Norris Gibbs’s refusal to tell me anything about the robbery has kept me back a little; but, I reckon I haven’t done so badly, after all. Which way are you going to take me, gentle- men? Ah, 1lsee! Across the square, and then down-town.” It was, indeed, Dodger Dick’s first sight of the two men since his adventure with them as detailed in our first chapter, and that occur- rence was still so fresh in the young spotter’s mind that he was resolved to find out something about the pair. Nor was this Dick’s only motive. He believed he had discovered that the giant and his dwarf- ish companion were, in some manner connected with the Gibbs case, and this was quite enough to put him on their track at first sight. e could only wonder what could have taken the big man to the lawyer’s office, for he knew that the broker’s cunning atiorney occupied a room in the building that rose above the park tr ees. : If he had stolen up-stairs,.which he might not have been able to do unmolested, for the stout little man had been left on guard, some singular conversation might have rewarded him, but, as it was, he could only Contectine and resolve anew to get to the bottom of the mystery. ' There were just_ people enough on the streets to render ick’s mpionaeS an easy ma ter, and be had no difficulty in keeping the couple in sight. _——_- — He could not get near enough to hear what was passing between the two men, but as the larger one ‘hid the talking, Dick naturally sup- posed that he was detailing his visit to Chubb Copeland. he big man was doing nothing less. **So Lucy was to have the papers at a certain tin.e?” exclaimed the little man, his deep-set brown eyes agleam with excitement. ‘* Yes, at her eighteenth birthday.” ‘* Which will be here soon.” ‘The twelfth of next month.” ‘He went so far with you and no further, count. Couldn’t you have choked the remainder out of him?” ‘*t did not want to carry things too far, Noxie.” ‘* No, of course not; but I think I would have made him confess how the broker first got the ra,” ** Don’t we know?” and Foxcraft sent a frown down to his friend. ‘‘ When I asked him if Lucy’s father did not give those papers to Gibbs the day he died, the lawyer made a denial which I knew was all put on. I never heard of a more opportune robbery. It happened in time to relieve the broker of some very undesirable property.” ‘* But he offers five thousand dollars for the robbers and their plunder. I don’t understand that.” ‘‘'You don’t, eh? Then I advise you to go back and consult the lawyer I have just inter- viewed.” The little man knit his brows. ‘‘[ believe 1 could succeed better than you have done,” he growled, although he smiled as he spoke as if to soften the asperity of his re- marks. ‘* We’ve got to track the thieves down, count; that is all,” There was no reply by the city Hercules, and the following moment the two men turned into another street and increased their gait, Followed still by the wharf detective, who was determined not to lose sight of them, they headed a tolerably long chase which ended at last on the Bowery where they darted into one of the numerous open doorways on_ that thoroughfare, and disappeared. ' ‘* Their nest for a thousand!” exclaimed Dick who knew the character of the houses in that vicinity. ‘‘Whenl want to know something about you fellows I know where to come for in- formation, Talk over your plans to your satis- faction, the Dodger won’t disturb you,” and with another look at the house to mark it well, the young shadow darted away and quickly disap- peared, He started back to Union Square, and al- most ran, as if eager to get there within a given time. ; It was now no louger evening but night, and Dick saw the numerous lights that shone among the trees. : He was soon on the sidewalk under the law- er’s windows, and a glance upward showed them to be dark and uninviting. After a little while the boy glided into the main yt hallway and slipped up-stairs, The first landing was nearly dark. There were a number of oes along the cor- ridor that ran from the steps the whole length of the building, but the young detective had no rae in locating Lawyer Copeland's quar- rs. Of course Dick found the door locked when he turned the knob. : The lawyer was not in the habit of leaving his door unsecured when he was out, ‘T came here to see the inside of Chubb Cope- land’s room, and Iam not going to be baffled,” muttered the boy, and then he tcok the best survey he could get of the transom overhead. “T guess I can get through there,” he con- tinued, smiling. ‘“‘ More than once have I crept through places that would have tried a weasel. If you have an immovable transom, Chubb, you have barred me out; otherwise I will be- come an unwelcome visitor.” It was. no trick at all for the agile boy to draw his body to the top of the door, and, ina little time he was working himself into the law- yer’s office between the transom and its frame. What an admirable catch it would have been for the lawyer if he could have ap at the scene at this moment; but fortunately for Dodger Dick, he did not come to pula sudden end to his adventure. It did not take the boy long to get through the transom, and he let slip an exclamation of meet as he dropped ilealanely to the floor in tha office, A little light came up from the lamps on the sidewalk beneath the windows, but it was nog ~~ ie