Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 561: Deadwood Dick — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

*“Oh! this bas allus been m comes over here, every day. If dad hadn’t gone an’ married that cat what is his wife, we’d have a happy home, yet.” i: peters you are right!” Dick said, taking a seat on the piazza. ‘‘ From what [ve heard said, Mrs, Glenroy has not got the mildest sort of a temper!” “Temper!” ejaculated Jake, with a shrug of the shoulders. ‘‘ Why, she’s worse’n a wildcat! I'd sooner mate with a tigress, what you see in the circus, than to mate with her. tell you she made it hot for the old man, and he finally had to leave her.” ‘‘Do you know where she is living, now? I want to find her.” “Dol? Well, I reckon! Folks say l’m an idiot, and don’t know potatoes from green apples, but you bet Jake Glenroy has got eyes and ears, and they've a knack of makin’ themselves useful, on certain occasions. No, sir, Jakie ain’t quite so much of a fool as folks take him for.” ‘‘But, where is Mrs. Glenroy’s present resi- dence?” Dick persisted. ‘‘ At the Adams House. She and her stuck-up gal are two of a kind, ‘cept Gertie is influ- enced,” Dick reflected a moment. ‘‘Do you remember, some four or five weeks ago, of a strange man calling here to see Mrs. Glenroy?’ be asked. Jake nodded. ‘“ Yas,” he replied. ‘‘ Odd-looking Josey, wasn’t he, with long hair and a goatee, and dressed rough? Worea hat with asockin’ broad rim?” ‘‘ Yes, that is the very man!” Dick declared, excitedly. ‘* Yes, I remember him. He come here, and sed he wanted to see the missus, I was settin’ here where I am, now, an’ when he give a tip of a quarter, I showed him the way to the parlor. Purty soon I meard loud voices, but I was too lazy to go find out what the matter was,” ** How long did the man remain here?” ** Dunno. lounged on the veranda, here, ‘til dark, but I didn’t see the bloke leave the house.” ‘* How long did the loud voices continue, in the parlor?” ‘** Oh! ten or fifteen minutes!” ‘“What time in the day did the stranger arrive here?” * Purty soon after dinner.” ‘‘And you didn’tsee bim come cut of the house?” és No’p!” ; ‘‘Maybe you were asleep on the veranda, when be left?” ‘No, I wasn’t, ’causo 1 kept up a wonderin’ who the funny lookin’ bloke was that was visit- in’ dad’s wife, and I waited purpose to get an- other squint at him. *I'wan’t no use, tho’.” ‘‘When you went into tne house at dark, didn’t you seeor hear anytaing of him?” . *¢ No’p.” ‘* Did you go into the parlor?” "Y Well, 1 guess not! Silly Jake never was allowed in there, ’cept when dad was around, - the slums. ’cause the Old Cat kept the door locked. Dad was out o’ town, on this purtic’lar day, you see, and he never know’d’bout the stranger bein’ here, d’ye see!” ay Why did you not inform him?” ‘Well, dur you see, I wanted to go to the theater, and her nibletts give me five dollars, and so [ didn’t squeal on her!” ‘* Did Mrs. Glenroy have many visitors?” ‘*G. l-darned few! The neighbors ’round here didn’t like her, an’ they give her the cold sboul- der! About the only ones that come to see her, wasJack Brady, the 7th ward tough, and Igna- tius, or ‘ Italy,’ the Italian padrone—both on ’em jail-birds. I told dad about their comin’ here, a ew days before dad an’ his wife parted, and that’s what kicked up the big rumpus!” ‘ Ab!” thought Dick. ‘‘ Here may be the be- ginning of the trail.” Aloud he said: ‘‘ Were these men here to see Mrs, Glenroy, the day of the long-haired stranger’s visit?” ‘t No’p, but they were the next day.” ‘** Where do they most generally hang out?” ‘Gosh! a little. of ‘most everywhere, around I've seen ’em on eral street, and around the water front saloons, a good deal.” “Do you think you and I might be able to find them, to-morrow?” Jake's eyes opened wide. : Me an’ you he ejaculated. ee F J mY oo ~*~ Be ‘Gosh! you wouldn’t be seen on_ the street 1 with Foolish Jake, would yout Why, the 3 oN blokes would all laugh at you! + eh : ; : 7 . A rn AY ae ‘a¢ nos ° ‘ee kT a : : ; j 2 “Soe an Gn . = — ae ne = - beapead ee OR SU ae ee home, an’ [ allus - -—-. = ewe oo — a oe _ -— | : sé — ) — - o_o — ef Boston. > 7+ sf 2 Deadwood Dick in ‘‘Let them laugh. I don’t care if they laugh themselves to death. I don’t see anyth‘ng fool- ish about you, young man, and if you want to be of assistance to me, I will put some money in your pocket!” Jake’s eyes glistened. ‘* By gosh! I like you, Ido!” hesaid. “if I ean do anything for you, P'lldo it. You’s the only one that ever speaked so kindly to me, *’ceptin’ dad!” And, stalwart young man though he was, tears welled into the poor fellow’s eyes. ‘* All the rest of ’°em pokes fun at me!” he con- tinued, in a choked voice, ‘‘and say there goes Glenroy’s idiot, Foolish Jake!” ‘‘ Well, that’s dirty mean!” Dick declared, candidly, ‘‘and I wouldn’t stand it if I were you. ou’re not foolish, [ll vouch, and they who utter these insults but show their low breed- ing. You're a big strapping fellow, and if | were you, I'd give the first person who insulted me a good licking, Pshaw! Jake, don’t let this scoffing annoy you, but take your own part, and fight it out on that line, and. if ?’m around ll help you.” his was too much for Jake’s sensitive nature and he burst into tears. ‘“ You are awful kind to me,” he sobbed, ** but if I was to fight with every one who says such things about me, and pokes fun at me, I'd have to be fighting all the time.” Dick laughed, ‘¢ Well, cheer up!” he encouraged. ‘‘ You and I will be friends, anyhow. Now, listen, and I'll tell you something, providing you will keep a still tongue in your head!” ‘*You bet!” Jake responded, emphatically. ‘* Nobody ever gets much out of me,if I ama fool!” ‘“Very well. Iam a detective, and I think I can use you to good advantage. I have come here to Buston to find that strange man who visited your step-mother, and who mysteriously disa red. ** Now, to-morrow, about ten o’clock, I will meet you in front of the Revere House, and we will look up these two toughs, Brady and Igna- tius. Want to get a squint at them, as 1 am not sure but what they may have had a hand in the disappearance of the Westerner.” ‘All right, sir. I will be there.” Bef well. By the way, before I go, you have a brother, haven't you?’ ** Yes—Gil.” | * What sort of a fellow igfhe?” ‘* He’s a cuss on wheels, and the meanest man in Boston. Ye want to fight shy of him, for he ain’t no earthly good, though he gambles an’ lushes, an’ sponges his livin’ out o’ dad, he stands in cahoots with the Old Cat, Ye see, he intends to marry her daughter one of these days.” ‘* Ah!” and Deadwood Dick whistled, softly. ‘** Where would I be apt to find hum ?” ‘*Dunno, He most generally hangs out along the business part of Tremont street. Any one could point him out to you, for nigh everybody knows him,” it was now getting along toward dusk, and s9, bidding his informant good-night, Dick set out for the heart of the Hub, ** Well, ve not madea bad beginning,” be said to himself, ‘‘ considering the few days I have been in Boston, In this Silly Jake, as they call him, I think I have made a valuable acquisition. He’s no more an idiot than lam—nota bit! Id match him against a good many ple I’ve met, for downright smartness and cunning. The only thing the matter with him is that he’s been teased so much, that be has lost all confi- dence in himself. But, bis assistance will not be all I shall need. I must send on for my boy partner.” And he did so, for the following message was dispatched: ‘You are wanted. Come to the Revere House, Boston, by the earliest train after receiving this. — ** Dick BrisTou.”’ This message was addressed to: ‘*Rats, No. — Bleecker street, New York City.” ‘He ought to get that to-night!” Dick ob- served, ‘“‘and if he is in his room early, he can qup the late train, and arrive here in the morn- ng. Having sent the telegram, he sought the hotel, and spent a couple of hours in conversation with his fair clientess, Miss Cool, after which he got his supper, and then sought his room for the night. OR marti will be time enough to inter- view Mrs. Glenroy,” he mused, “and in the mean time, I want to kind of get my ideas, and, as far as possible, form a plan of action.” CHAPTER VIL. JACK BRADY, THE TOUGH. WHEN Mrs. Glenroy and her daughter were comfortably settled in their new quarters, the former showed much more nervousness and anxiety than when in conversation with Moses Mumb. ‘*T fear we are going to bave trouble, Gertie,” she said, dubiously, ‘ [f all be true which the pawnbroker told me, and | have but li that it is, we are in great danger!” ‘*T have feared it all along,” plied, with a sad shake of the hea felt, from the day we left the Wes bution would sooner or later over mamma, why did you ever leav way you did?” ‘Shut up, you fool! Haven’t I told you never to utter anything like that again? I left bim because I hated him—because be was a miser, and wouldn’t give me what money I wanted to spend!” ‘‘But, mamma, you must remember you spent an awful lot of money, and sometimes I’ve seen papa very sad, because you were so extravagant.” “ Will you sbut up?” almost screamed Mrs, Glenroy. ‘ It’snone of your business how much I spent. Ycu get your living, so keep your tongue still. Whatif I did spend money? He could afford it. One can’t bea lady, without plenty of money, and I was never cut out for anything else buta lady. Anyhow,I got the best of the old fool. Now, let me think!” She remained silent a moment, her brows knitted in a way that gave to her face a dis- agreeable expression—the look of a.desperate criminal at bay, as it were. ‘‘Something must be done to avert this dan- ger,” she muttered, directly, ‘“‘and there’s no time to be lost, either. Gertrude, get me the pen, ink and paper out of my sachel.” ‘ Gertie mechanically obeyed. Evidently experience bad taught her on which side her bread was buttered, Mrs. Glenroy then seated herself at a table, and indited a letter of considerable length, which she sealed in an envelope and direct Then, by pounding upon the floor, she brought Mosés Mumb in haste to answer her summons, ‘* My dear lady, what is it lcan do for you?” the Jew asked, in a most patronizing way. ‘* Send for a district messenger for me,” ‘‘A district messenger?’ and Moses elevated his eyebrows in astonishment. ‘* Yes; that is what I said.” ‘* But, my dear lady, you do not consider the danger—” ‘Bah! Ill run the risk of all the danger, so send for the messenger, as I have directed. Another thing, if a man calls to see me—a rough-looking fellow, with a scar upon his cheek ron him up here. I have some business with im. “You are not going to leave here, m lady, after all the expense and trouble been to?’ Moses exclaimed, imploringly. ‘* No, I’m not going to leave bere, at present!” was Mrs. Glenroy’s sharp retort. ‘But I am going to have that detective silenced—or all of them, for that matter. How many of them did you say there were?” ‘* Really, I do not know!” Moses averred, with a sigh of relief. ‘*My son, Levi, who is very shrewd, and who knows all the circumstances, is sure there must be a dozen, Levi isa very smart youpg man, ‘* But there must be as many as half a dozen, or more, for they are scattered around very, very thick. And I have a suspicion that the local force are on the lookout, too; for my son, who went a little while ago to the Adams House, saw over a dozen local detectives there in consultation.” A look of terror entered Mrs. Glenroy’s eyes but immediately she set her teeth together, an her face flushed with pent-up passion. “ Let them come!” she hissed, “ I'll have them all silenced, or, if 1 fail, they will never take me alive—never !” ‘* Bravo!” Moses said, looking at her admir- ingly. ‘* You are a brave o> ‘Never mind your compliments, sir— are not wanted. order the messenger, as directed. I’ve paid you your price, and now I expect you to serve me!” Mrs. Glenroy said, imperiously. oses evidently did not quite relish this style of address, but, although he said nothing, and turned and left the room, there was a sinister dear have glear= in bis eyes. ‘‘So-ho! my fine lady,” he muttered. ‘‘You _ still carry a high head, eh? Well, wait! Ill lower it ere long! You're in my power, and [ll entre Tt