Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 559 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee ee ea Pee we - - - 3 meee Oo-: ~~. 2 de aes o ee. 13 hear whatever occurred or was said in the office. But what did Pedro expect to occur? This was a profound mystery, but Jack had gone too far to retreat. e began to be inter- ested. Mystery adds to all events, and there was enough of it then. The Spaniard, with his sign-lunguage, his terribly earnest face and his strange proceeding, was enough to draw any one into the scheme, Jack nodded—Pedro looked relieved—the door-bell rung—Pedro dropped the curtain, and the boy from Harlem was “in” for the adven- ture, whatever it was to be. He stood in silence and alone. The Spaniard entered the office through the hall-door, Jack heard some one admitted by the other servant, and in a moment more Nei] Diekerman appear- ed in the office. A second person followed him, and Jack stood dumfounded with wonder. It was Otis Harbison, the chemist-doctor! Of all men Jack had least expected to see him. Whatdid it mean? Then a terrible sus- picion rushed upon the boy. He remembered the room in Harbison’s house which he had found so terrible; he remembered the strange articles which be had but partially understoud; he remembered the motionless dog and cat; he re- membered the various bottles labeled *‘ Poison!” and the various things with which the old chemist had declared he could take life so easily —as well as his own impression that Harbison would not hesitate to do so. Why was this dangerous man in Cordova’s office? Dickerman introduced them, ‘‘Doctor Harbison, let me make quainted with my cousin, Mr, Cordova. The two men moved to greet each other, and a smile wrinkled the chemist’s face. It was not a pleasant smile, yet it was better than his ex- pression in bis own room. No doubt he was now trying w make it inviting. He failed, but only because Nature had given him the face of a rascal, | Jack shivered. Why was the man of poisons in that house? Cordova did not seem to feel any such misgiv- ings. He shook hands cordially with tke vis- itor. and the three men sat down. Pedro, still auxious-faced, glanced from the folding-doors to the visitor alternately. The old chemist, in his rusty black suit, rusty black silk hat, rusty shoes and dilapidated collar, was not a pleasant person to contemplate. ‘*} am glad to have you two meet,” said Dick- erman, airily, ‘‘ Doctor Harbison is a very learned man, Edward. Not being in need of money, he retired years ago from active prac- tice, though he could give many of our best doc- tors valuable points, He is now engaged in chemical experiments—” Harbison coughed. “« At times—when his advice is wanted,” awk- wardly finished Dickerman, | “Tn plain words, I am an idle man,” amended Harbison. ‘I did not like practicing medicine, for I found my sympathies too strong to enable me to.carry on the work without injuring my health.” His audacious assertion dumfounded Jack. That man possess sympathy? Jack remembered the cat and dog. ‘‘T bear that you are a stockholder in the Royal Bonanza Mine, doctor,” said Cordova. Ved, er.” ‘* Are you in it deeply?” ‘‘ Forty shares.” “1 have fifty.” ‘‘T wish [ had as many.” ‘* Then you believe in it?” ‘6 Do 1% echoed Harbison, with an air of sur- rise. ‘*T see that you do,” ‘‘ Most certainly. I put ten thousand dojlars into railroad stock only a week before I heard of the Royal Bonanza. If Ihadit out, Pd be lad. The railroad stock pays a fat dividend, ut I expect to see the Royal Bonana stock worth three times what we pay for it, inside of six months,” ** Indeed |” sé Yes, sir.” ‘* Do you speculate mueh?” ‘NotI. Do you know what speculation in stocks is? It’s gambling with fate with your own money up on both sides, you have no chance to win, The Wall street speculators are in it to a desperate degree; they risk their last dollar, lose it, put an end to their lives, go to their graves in disgrace, and to—let us not say where afterward. None of that for me; not one dollar for wildcat speculations, Not one! I have fifty thousand dollars outside what I own qo ac- ee the couraging to be seen there. ~~ 7° woe oe Deer >> ona i rm in real estate, and with this { buy absolutely safe stocks, No wild speculation; no mad risks. I won't put out a dollar except where 1 know it’s safe!” 4 And Harbison thumped his cane upon the oor, Jack had a new idea as to why he was there; it was to still further deceive Cordova in regard to the mine. “ Allow me to ask how you satisfied yourself as to that?” ‘‘ By personal exagaination of specimens from the Royal Bonanza,” ‘** Furnished by yay’ ‘Oh! no; right from Idaho City, I know a man there, and he sent the specimens at my re- quest.” ‘* And you find it ‘ pay-dirt?” ‘* The very best.” Cordova did not seem wholly satisfied, despite these golden allurements, ‘The Governor of Idaho tells me that he knows of no Rolling-Pin Valley, and no Gold Pocket, in his Territory.” ‘Not at all strange. Western towns spring up like Jack’s bean-stalk, you know, and when they start they must be named, Twent -four hours hence there may be a town called Gold Gulch, and a valley called Treasure Bowl—or any other names—where now there is only a wild, barren ridge and hollow.” Happy Jack saw Dickerman anxiously study razilian’s face, There was nothing en- *“T must confess that I lack your faith,” Cordova abruptly replied. ‘‘ I’ve tried to be- lieve in this mine, but have not been able to do so since I first had my doubts raised, True, at times my doubts have wavered, and my faith increased, but the general verdict is not favor- able. You say you do believe init, Very well, I will sell you my stock.” ‘‘My. dear sir,” cried Harbison, “I'd buy every share you own if I had the money.” ‘‘Perhaps you can find a customer for me—” ‘‘My dear Edward,” interrupted Dickerman, “ have you duly reflected—” ‘“T have. My shares are to sell!” There was momentary silence. Dickerman’s face flushei deeply. He had brought Harbison to “convince” the Brazilian that the Royal Bonanza was sound, and the ‘' proof ” seemed to have made him more determined to look upon it asa swindle, The plotter was disconcerted, but he recovered his self-possession in a few seconds and answered quietly. Neither he nor Harbison made any further effort to convince Cordova. Conversation con- tinued on the same subject for several minutes, and the doctor practically repeated all that he had said in favor of it, but it was done in a way which made Jack believe that he was only talk- ing to kill time. , Fifteen minutes passed, and then Harbison looked at his watch and announced that he must go. Dickerman arose and said that he would accompany him, but the interesting part of their visit was by no means past. CHAPTBR XIV. FROM BAD TO WORSE, DICKERMAN and Cordova parted somewhat coldly. Twice the Brazilian seemed upon the ‘ag of saying something that was in his mind, ut contented himself with pressing his cousin’s hand and asking him tou come at an early hour the following day. Neil and Harbison prepared for the street. Cordova accompanied them to the front door. It closed behind them, and they went slowly down the steps. {n the meanwhile Jack had glided across the yarlor to one of the windows, He had grasped his cap and was half-determined to pass out of the window, which he knew to be raised, and follow them to see if he could overbear conver- sation of importance, but as they reached the sidewalk he saw some one appear the area, coming from the basement door. He recognized one of the house-Servants, Dickerman had paused and_ was looking back, “Is that you, Todd?” he asked. ‘¢ Yes, sir.” ‘‘Give him the medicine.” “ All right, sir.” Dickeyman turned and walked away with Harbison by his side, Harlem Jack did not fol- low. The servant had disappeared unvder the stoop, but Jack had not heard the door close; he would not have ventured to go then, for dis- covery might reach him. But there was more upon his mind, and he stood in a thoughtful, perplexed mood, ‘¢ Give him the medicine !” ee Ge ee ee * Harlem Jack, the Office Boy Detective. That was what Dickerman had said to the servant. Give whom ‘‘the medicine?” And what medicine was it? What bad Dickerman to do with the giving of medicine in that house? and why had the servant come out so slyly to receive such an extraordinary message? Troublesome suspicions were aroused in Jack’s mind, and he stood unconscious of all around him. Then he suddenly started back as though he had received a blow. So he had, figurative- iy and it startled him. He recollected what opez said had been the result of dogging Anderson, It was as follows: ‘‘T dogged him. He went to a house on —— street, where, a boy told me, @ doctor lived. He stayed half an hour. When he came out I followed him again. He went many blocks, and then met Dickerman, He gave Dickerman a small, blue bottle,” No wonder Jack was startled. The street mentioned by Lopez was that where Harbison lived, and the boy had not forgotten the bottles, one large and the others small, which he had seen in Harbison’s case—the bottles of bright, vivid blue. | ‘‘By gracious!” muttered Jack, ‘‘ Dickerman is worse than I thought him!” A hand was laid upon his shoulder, and he made a start worthy of a nervous woman, He turned and saw Pedro beside him, The Span- iard smiled faintly, and then held up his hat, pointed to Jack’s cap, snd motioned that they would go out of the house. ‘Not yet!” Jack exclaimed. “ There is work ter do bere fu’st. Whogives Cordova his medi- cine? Pedro shook his head,and Jack peevishly added: ‘Oh! Great Scott, I forgot; you can’t un- derstand. But somebody must. That black- leg down in the basement ain’t goin’ ter give Cordova any ‘medicine.’ It’s got ter be stop- ped, but how sball I do it? I don’t like ter tell the Brazilian what I think—but what else can I do? Who is ter be trusted ’round here? It’s got ter be done!” Pedro stared in wonder to hear the usually light-spirited boy muttering to himself with an expression of doubt, fear and bewilderment on his face, and began to think that Jack was out of his head. At that moment a fvotstep sounded in the hall, Jack burriedly opened the door a trifle and looked out, Todd bad lat come up from the basement with a bottle of wine in his hand, He knocked at Cordova’s door. ‘* Jes’ so, by sixty!” muttered the boy. ‘The work is goin’ on, an’ I’ve got tergo right in boldly an’ put a stop to it.” The Brazilian appeared and took the bottle. Then Todd retreated to the basement. Cordova closed the office door, but Jack made an em- phatie gesture to Pedro and started forward, The latter did pot know what was about to he done, but he made no objection to the venture, He opened the door for Jack without knock- ing, and then entered. One hasty glance on Jack’s part showed the bottle sitting on the table. the wine still untasted. ‘“ Good-evenin’, Mr. Cordova,” he said, easily. ‘© T was passin’, an’ I thought I’d drop in an’ see how ye felt.” “Thank you, my boy,” was the kind reply. ‘‘T am feeling quite well at present.” ‘You've got yer color back.” $$ Yes,” “How d'ye git along "with Royal Bonanza stock?” Cordova looked closely at the questioner, He was evidently inclined to make some inquiries, himself, but probably remembered that Jack was a boy and changed his mind, His arswer was trivial. “There is nothing new.” ‘““T don’t bev much faitb in that concern,” boldly announced Jack. ‘Nor 1.” “You remember the advice I give ye on the envelope?” ; “You advised me to notify the police, and have Stephen Heckley watched,” ‘6 Yes, sir.” { “ Why did you do it?” “To save yer Money, I don’t want ter put inyself forrud whar | ain’t got no proof, an’ I know Lain’t & growed-vp man; but I tell ye New York is Jest swarmin’ with rascals who git a livin’ by deceivin’ an’ robbin’ their feller-men. Look out!” ‘Thank you, Jack. friendly caution.” To remember won't save ye. You want ter an ic an’ go at the inemy, ef I may speak so I won't forget your a ’ 4 . -& ‘ . > vit g ‘ . 7 AVE le , Py I PSI Re a co