Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 559 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

; : : ; : rected to bring a fresh bottle. When he went, Pedro watched him with remarkable cunning. Todd first flitted to his room When he came out he carried the blue bottlein hishand. Next he went to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of wine. He drew the cork, and then, looking secretly around, poured into it a portion of the contents of the blue bottle. Quickly returning to his room he hid the blue bottle under a loose part.of the carpet, and partially behind the bureau, and then carried the wine to Cordova. At the moment he stood at Cordova’s door Pedro was retreating from Todd's room, bear- ing the blue bottle in triumph, Bobson examined the wine and, also, the blue bottle. The last was about half-full of an am- ber-hued liquid, but what it was the detective could not tell He consulted with Cordova, and the latter agreed to bring matters to a crisis by summoning Todd. This was done. Tke man came in unsuspiciously, but a trou- bled expression appeared on his face as he saw Bobson, Something about the detective probably roused a suspicion in his guilty mind. Pedro, according to orders, lingered near the door, Bobson quietly set upon the table the wine and the unknown mixture in the blue bottle. Todd stared at that in a startled way. ‘*Caught!” observed Bobson, tersely. ‘ You see now why you were wanted here, Todd. Your game is found out!” ‘*{ don’t know what you mean,” replied the villain, but his teeth rattled as he spoke. **False!—you know very well, Ton tried to poison Cordova!” ‘* No, no!” cried the wretch, “I did not; I swear it!” ‘** Nonsense! You were seen to pour the poi- son from a blue bottle into the wine. Why do you persist in useless denials? You are in the tvils, and may as well confess,” ‘‘T swear to you—” Don’t! It will be useless, The whole story is known, and the best thing you can do is to ownup. You don’t want to shoulder all the blame, yourself,do you? Then own up frankly, and put the matter right. Where did you get the blue bottle?” Tedd wiped the perspiration from bis fo:c- head. He was not a coward, but there set the blue bottle as a mute accuser, ‘* If that stuff is dangerous, I didn’t know it,” he protested. ** Why did you put it in Cordova’s wine?” *T was told to,” he muttered. ** By whom?” ** Neil Dickerman!” Cordova grew pale. The most important step was taken, and Bobson soon secured a full confession. Todd had once served a brief term in prison, and he had worked for Dickerman and become hope- lessly tangled in the latter’s nets. He went to Cordova’s as a servant because Dickerman told him to, and when’he was ordered to put a part of the contents of the blue bottle in Cordova’s wine, he obeyed Dickerman without knowing what the drug was, Bobson had watched the clock closely during this interview. He knew that the chief plotter was € ted, and liable to appear at any time. Having “‘ worked” Todd fully, he put handcuffs upon his wrists and sent him to the basement in charge of Pedro. They then waited for Dickerman, but he did not keep them long. The bell sounded, and Cordova rec his cousin’s . He was in such a state of dismay and trepidation that the detective resolved not to delay matters, but bring the plotter at once to the bar, as it were. Neil came in airily. He did not notice the bottles on the table, but shook- hands cordially with Cordova, and acknowledged the introduc- tion to “ Mr, Briggs” in a friendly way. —— ck- deat “ Briggs” was not disposed to ward, ‘I am sincerely glad to see you, Mr, Dicker- Er — coolly, ‘ Pray ses a ot of i » Po S$ an " oth thie i ur yourself a g avor it He held up the blue bottle. | Dickerman stood like one turned to stone, The color had receded from his face in a swift rush, and he stared at the dumb accuser in terror. ’ Murderer?” exclaimed Bobson in a thrilling voice, ‘your sin has found you out. All Maar coh aibtah tela The arch-p r to speak his voice ere is the © OF poison you got from Doctor Harbison and gave to” Todk Your every step has been traced. € have confessions trom Harbison, Todd and Anderson, All known.” Se — -—eee Still Dickerman did not answer. **You have run the length of your rope,” Bobson went on, ‘* The Royal Bonanza swindle is known, and Heckley is a prisoner. Now comes the last act in the drama of crime. I arrest you for the attempted murder of Edward Cordova!” CHAPTER XVIIL THE FINAL VENTURE. Bots Jack and Grimm were fora few mo- ments dismayed to find that they were in Harbi- son’s house, but they quickly rallied. They attacked the wall with more zeal than caution, and in a short time the opening was sufficiently enlarged to admit of their passing through, This they bastened to do at cnce, Neither had any clear idea of how they were to proceed after that, but they were resolved to get out of the house in some way. They gained the passage, and then looked further, There was a rear door which was both locked and nailed up, and a front door which was merely locked, but no keys were to be found, They ascended to the ‘‘ first floor,” so called. This was familiar ground to Jack, who had been escorted along that very hall by Harbison upon a well-remembered occasion, The gas burned dimly, and the key was in the door. Grimm hastened to experiment. He turned first the key and then the knob, and the door opened; the way of escape lay before them, He turned and shook Jack’s hanc. **Come on!” he directed. ** Wait,” Jack directed, ‘* 'W hat for?” ‘** ve got an idee.” ** This ain’t no place fur idees,.” ‘*T think it’s jest the place fur them, an’I mean ter try one, See here! It would strengthen our case immense ef, when we per- dooce the blue bottle in court, we could show another jest like it got here. Dm goin’ up ter Harbison’s laboratory, an’see ef I kin git one.” Grimm held up his hands in horror, ** Don’t think on’t. See! day is breakin’—” Jack paid no attention to him. With quick, light steps he ascended the stairs, keeping sharp watch for danger. The second-floor hall was dark and silent, and he went on once more. The next flight was climbed; he was on the third and upper floor. The hall, like that below, was dark, but from under vne door shone a bar of light. t was that of Harbison’s room, Jack wasin a eros ie venturesome mood by that time, and he carefully opened the door a little. At the further end of the room he saw two men bending over one of the tables One he at once recognized as being Harbison. But who was the other? Jack looked sharply and came to a conclusion, It was Anderson. They were wholly absorbed in some occupation, and as Jack saw a grayish vapor rising, be readily ove gam that it was some chemical experi- ment. As he watched, there was a sudden stir close at hand. He started back in alarm, but there was no danger, Ovt rushed the mysterious dog and cat, and down-stairs they went with what seemed to Jack to be a terrible clatter. He was tempted to flee himself, but did not forget his errand. He looked at the men; they did not seem to have heard the noise at all. “‘[’'m goin’ ter hev one o’ them blue bottles,” thought Jack, stubbornly. He had already noticed that the door of the case was open. He now entered the room, creeping along with all the care possible. Soft, indeed, were his footfalls, and the men watched their unknown compound and suspected nothing. Inch by inch he drew near the case, and still there was no alarm. He reached it: he grasped one of the small blue bottles. He saw that it was filled with a liquid, and waited for no more. Cautiously he retreated. Jack reached the threshold and turned fora last look. Harbison was holding up a bottle. “ T warn -you,” he said, in an audible voice, ‘‘ that whatever I may add from this out will be risky in the sense that no man knows what will be the result. Chemical experiments are al- ways davgerous. You can retire, if you wish.” * No,” Anderson replied , ‘‘ I will stay.” * Jest like me--I won't!” thought Jack. and he softly closed the door and glided down the stairs, holding fast to the blue bottle. a W, Grimm awaited bim at the front door. _, Great land! be you alive?” the man asked. te ae inch on me.” be dog an’cat scud out o’ the door, a bit ago, like mad.” Harlem Jack, the Office Boy Detective, a —_—_ 15 Come "Good fur them—we’ll do the same, on!’ They left the house and hurriedaway. Day was breaking, and there was more stir on the streets, but they left the house undetected and started for home. They were within a few yards of Jack’s house when they heard a sound like the distant boom of acannon. They thought nothing of it, and continued to talk for several minutes. Then a fire-engine rattled past them, They looked in the direction it had taken, and saw smoke and flame rising above a certain house. ‘*Somebody’s burnin’ out,” observed Grimm, Jack grasped his arm, ‘Great Cesar!” he exclaimed, ** that is Har- bison’s house, ‘‘ D’ye remember the explosion? Their chemicals bev blowed up an’ set the house on fire! Come on—let’s go back!” They retraced their steps as fast as Grimm’s legs would carry him. When they arrived the firemen were at work, but with a hopeless task ahead of them; the whole upper part of the house was,one sheet of flame, and it was clear that it must burn itself out, Harbison’s only servants—an old man and woman—had escaped, but nothing was seen of the doctor. The explosion had taken place in his laboratory, and it was thought he had perished there, but it was a long time before even the daring firemen could penetrate there, When they did succeed in doing so, they found only the blackened bodies of Harbison and Anderson. Probably the explosion bad killed them. It was already past the hour when he was to meet the detective at Cordova’s, He went that way as quickly as possible, and, as chance would have it, met Bobson just leav- ing the house, ‘*T see I’m too late!” regretfully exclaimed the boy. ‘I’m sorry, but—” ‘* Never mind: you have come in time to hear the news, Neil Dickerman lies inside, des- perately wounded.” ‘* Wounded! How? Who by?” ‘‘His own hand, I charged him with the crime and summoned him to surrender to the law, Cordova interfered to save him, asking that the affair be kept secret, but I would not, and could not, agree to hush up crimes like his. I declared that he must surrender, and advanced to put ou the irons, He drew a revolver and shot himself, The doctor who has seen him will not yet say whether he will live or not. In any case, may boy, thanks are due you for your shrewd, heroic work in this case. Only for you the den of vipers would never have n un- earthed!” And the detective shook Jack cordially by the hand. Pedro appeared at the door, eagerly beckoning and Jack went in. Thedemonstrative Spaniard actually took the boy in his arms and gave him a hug which reminded Jack of a grizzly bear. Then came Edward Cordova, pale and sad, but full of gratitude to him who saved his life, and he grasped Jack’s hand, thanked him warmly, and declared that while he lived the Harlem boy should not want for a friend, ; ke: promise was kept. Jack had made a true riend. The Royal Bonanza was found to be a complete swindle, operated by Heckley, Dickerman and Anderson. The man from Idaho confessed, .ad the money paid to him was recovered, Cordova lost nothing. Heckley went to Sing Sing, but, as he proved an exemplary prisoner, was par- doned feature his time was out. He then went West again, and it is to be hoped he is leading an honest life. Neil Dickerman died of his wound. Jack chanced upon the dog and cat upon which Harbison had once experimented, and gave them a good home at his mother’s house, Harvey Stannard was so chagrined at the re- sult of affairs at the office that he resigned his position and went back to the country. All of Cordova’s investments except the Royal Bonanza were found to be safe, and he settled down in New York, but wisely gave up specu- lating. For three years he kept Jack Brandrege with him, and ander the boy’s care, honest Pedro learned to speak fair English, Cordova watched for a chance, and when it came he placed Jack ina law-office. The pros- pects are good that Jack will some day become famous, | G. W. Grimm still lives in his shanty-home, and though he complains. as usual, of ‘* chronis hydrophobfa,” is ag jovial as ever, THE ENT,