Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 608 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

wearer 7 4 r , a “sar a “* CHAPTER V. A BALK, ‘Tare to two for the Albanys!” was the announcement that was proclaimed all over the city and flashed along the wires to New York within five minutes of the time when Double- Curve Dan had given the last of his ebbing strength to bring victory to the ball club of his native town. In the first flush of gratification over the tri- umph of the home club, no attention was paid by the audience to the brave young pitcher who seemed to have given life itself in the game, He lay just where he had dropped across the home plate, with arms outstretched, and his blonde curls, from which his cap had fallen, glinting in the red sunset, Slicker was in a boiling rage, He rushed over to Richard Scott, and shaking his fist in the young man’s face, hissed: ‘‘ Now, look out, Mr, Scott. You have given me away, an’ I’!l do ther same thing fer you!” Scott did not answer. He saw that Dan Man- ly was still prostrate, and a horrible fear took possession of him. He had reached the uncon- scious detective, and was raising his head when Slicker, who had seen the expression of fear on Dick Scott’s pale countenance, pushed him away, and turning Dan over on his_ back inted from the dead white face to that of ott, and shouted: ‘‘This hyar man hez been murdered!” ‘‘ Murdered!” exclaimed a dozen voices, ‘‘-Yes, murdered! Poisoned!” ** Poisoned ?” ‘¢ And that man did it!” yelled Slicker, point- ing straight at the trembling Dick, or an instant the players standing around Dan’s prostrate form seemed petrified with hor- ror and astonishment, Then they moved for- ward threateningly, as if they would visit pun- ishment upon the murderer then and there. Slicker grinned malevolently behind his hand. It was a striking group. The quiet, lifeless form of the young pitcher, the conscience- stricken Richard Scott, the evil-faced Slicker, and the players of both clubs, all with horror depicted on their countenances. he seats for the spectators were nearly empty. The great crowd that had witnessed the ame seemed as anxious to get away, now that t had been decided, as they were to get in three hours ago. They had not noticed that Dan was unconscious. They supposed that he was only sliding for home, as is often done in a close cage and though they saw that he did not rise mmediately, took it for granted that it was only a whim on his part to remain on the ground for a minute or two. Dick dropped on his knees by the side of the body of Dan, and, as his head bent forward in abject fear and sorrow, he moaned aloud: “Wal, what are we goin’ ter do "bout this hyar bizness?” asked Slicker, gruffly. “I tell er that this hyar boy hez been p'izoned by im,” pointing to Dick. ‘*An’ Oi say it’s a lie!” cried a strong, clear voice, There was a bustle, and Slicker was pushed to one side violently, as Norah O’Connor, her red cheeks redder than usual with at, rain came into the center of the group an looked around her defiantly. Slicker recovered himself at once, and with a savage sneer, growled: ‘¢ An’ what do you know ‘bout it?’ Like a flash the girl turned upon him. ‘Oi know that Misther Dan has been poison- ed, so he has, and that you put the stoof in the wather |” “What?” “Oh, Oi saw yez! Ye didn’t think ony wan wuz a-watchin’ Phi whin ye wint ahint that three beyant, and—” ‘Shut up, yer durned cat!” burst in Slicker, as he made a threatening movement. ‘* Hold on, there! Let the girl speak!” It was Barney Muggins who thus interposed. He felt as if he would like to have killed Dan Manly when he was opposed to him in the game, but now thatit was over, his animosity had evaporated, and he felt only sorrow for the young fellow cut down in this cowardly way by the hand of a secret enemy. Slicker saw that it would not help his case to interfere with Norah at this Bs rite so, fold- ing his arms with assumed carelessness, he smiled contemptuously, and waited for her to go on. “Tf you go to that wather boocket beyant, hate foind some of the nasthy stoof in the bot- om! ' Slicker did not wait to hear more. He dash- ed away from the crowd toward the players’ 4 ' . -% Pr ’ J a” * %, : ; ¥ 4, : t hae . Groat ert. ie) att he ’ : 2 \ Peni? "| : ¢ i , = 7* » ‘ae The Pitcher Detective’s Foil. bench, on which tne tin pail from which Dan Manly bad drank was still lying. But, if Slicker could run, so could Barney Muggins, and the latter reached the bench just in time to snatch up the pail before Slicker could get his hands upon it. ** Give me that pail!” ** Not much, I won’t!” The demand and the refusal were uttered in breathless, but determined tones, and then a pistol was pointed at Barney’s head. {t was knocked away before it could be dis- charged, however, and Muggins, by a dexterous cs feral of the “ collar-and-elbow ” principle of wrestling, threw Slicker on his back, and, at the same time dispossessed him of the pistol, ‘Curse yer. I'll fix yer fer this hyar!” ‘*T suppose,” answered Barney, carelessly, as he swooped down upon a small bottle that had dropped from the other’s pocket as he fell. “What hev yer got thar? Thet’s ci bottle, too! Blast yer, ef yer ain’t er reg’lar thief!” ‘Say that again, and I’ll break your neck,” shouted Barney, with sudden fierceness, ‘‘ Now, come over here to the rest of them, while we will see what we will do with you /” He seized Slicker by the sleeve with his left hand, clutching the garment in a peculiar man- ner that, while apparently not very tight, made it impossible for the prisoner to wrench himself away. In this way the late umpire was march- ed back to the spot where the players and Norah still stood looking into Dan Manly’s cold, white ce, ‘¢Well, well, what is all this? Heaven save us! Why wasn’tI called before? That’s just like the young men of the present day. They can play a game of ball with all the science of a dozen centuries brought into use, but, when it comes to a sick person, they don’t know as much about helping him as the Hottentots, who try to mend broken legs by dancing on the patient.” A short, fussy man in a white linen suit and canvas shoes, whose Panama bat was pushed back from a broad, red face, fringed with snow- white whiskers that were a continuation of the white curls running around his head in the pro- fuse fashion suggestive of a jolly bald spot under the hat. That the bald spot was there was shown when the gentleman took off his hat to wipe if with a yellow silk handkerchief at the conclusion of his harangue. ‘‘ Dr. Horne!” exclaimed Dick Scott looking up hopefully. ta” Yes, ithe all very well saying Dr. Horne,” retorted the old gentleman, testily, ‘‘ but you bring me to a dead man and expect that I will bring him tolifeagain. Confound it! You are all alike. Have faith in doctors as long as they can accomplish miracles, but whar a patient dies through neglect or in the ordinary course of nature then our profession is abused through thick and thin.” No one answered him, The good-natured Dr. Horne was too well known in Albany for any one to argue with him. The only thing to do was to let him finish his talk. He was not idle while delivering his lecture, however. He bad opened the shirt of the young pitcher, and was now, with intent face list- ening at his heart and examining his eyes al- ternately. Not satisfied he took a Csrigere ge from his pocket, and again listened at the heart with its aid. Then he jumped to his feet, and hastily di- rected the bystanders to seize the unconscious form of the pitcher and get him into an uj~ right position, ‘What? Isn’t be dead, doctor?” asked Dick, eagerly. A sudden hope thrilled him through and through, ‘Dead? No! Do you think I should want to put a dead man on his feet? It is a simple case of laudanum poisoning, and if I had been called before the patient would never have got into this condition at all.” “Faith , Oi knowed he wasn’t dead, so Oi did,” put in Norah. “You did, eb? Well, why didn’t you tell other boobies around here, so that they could try and bring him around, instead of letting him lie on the ground, like an old rubber overshoe?’ asked the doctor, who was never too busy to indulge in repartee, The patient was now lifted up and under the direction of the doctor shaken sound] . The result was a slight quivering of the eyelids, and then the eyes opened, while signs of life could be discerned in the flush that began to struggle with the ghastly pallor of the cheeks. »< Good! Now, keep him moving. We'll save him, but it will be a narrow escape, The idea ' - o : ta Ev , ’ es Le a -_. rf Ae 4 > ~~ * bi oT eee SCOT “oe ‘ . ‘ of taking it for granted that a man is dead because he drops with exhaustion at the end of a base-ball match.” The irritable but good-natured physician was closely watching the condition of bis patient while he talked, occasionally walking with him a few steps and feeling his pulse, or wiping his ag with the long yellow silk handker- chief. Dan Manly had been as Dr, Horne said, in a very serious condition and had not assistance arrived just when it did the young detective’s career would undoubtedly have ended on the ball ground in Albany at that time, When the bystanders began to move him u and down, or rather around the diamond, Dan’s feet hung limp and useless, and he was actually carried by those attending him. But very soon the effect of nis strong constitution showed itself in returning consciousness, and he took a few steps in an uncertain way, that soon became firm and decided. The doctor noted this, and as soon as he saw that they oung fellow was walking, he nodded his head with satisfaction, and was ready to preach to everybody in his vicinity. ‘‘ Keep him going, boys,” he chirped, ‘* keep him going. You owe him that much, for he kept himself going when he made that home- run that gave Albany the game. Hestuck to it nobly.” . ‘© Cuss him!” grunted a voice in his ear. ‘Eh? What's that?” The doctor turned quickly, and met the scowl- ing gaze of Slicker Walker, ‘Don’t take any notice of him, doctor. He’s down on the young man for some reason.” ‘‘ [dare say. Fellows with such a physiogno- my generally are down on decent people. Get him behind me. It spoils my digestion to look at such a face as that.” There was a general laugh at this exceedingly candid speech, and Slicker’s brow grew nikeker than ever. ‘* Tl] hev the Jaw on all done with yer!” he growled. ‘‘ That’s all right. I have a notion that you are going to get more law than you want,” re- torted Muggins, who still retained his hold on Slicker’s sleeve. ‘‘Halloa! What d’ye mean?’ asked Dr. Horne, whose ears seemed to be preternaturally sharp. For answer, Barney Muggins handed the doc tor the small bottle that had fallen from Slick- er’s ket. ‘‘Hum! What's this? Laudanum! A little smelled drop left yet. Undiluted, too. Ah!” The doctor had taken out the cork the contents, and then tightly corked the bottle again, ‘‘T got that from this man’s pocket,” declared Barney. “‘Did you? Well, then, bold him tightly, for perhaps there may be people who will want to enjoy an interview with him, Funny, too, that an umpire should be trying to kill a ball- player. It’s generally the other way. Ha, ha!” The doctor’s enjoyment of this joke was so intense that it nearly choked him, and he took a walk around the diamond with Dan Manly to recover himself, noting at the same time, that his patient was getting to be almest himself again. ** Doctor, 1 suppose Dan won’t die now, will: he?” asked Dick cott, who had been continually walking with the patient. ‘* Die? No! Not abit of it! He is worth a thousand dead men, Die, indeed! No, we can't: afford to let a pitcher like that die off-hand. They are tooscarce in the United States!” If there was anything that Dr. Horne loved next to his profession, it was the national ame, ‘* Well, then, p’raps you’ll let go uv my arm!” said Slicker, sulkily. ‘You'll do no such thing!” quickly interposed the doctor. ‘‘ You found this bottle of laudanum in his pocket. The young man Over there was almost killed by a dose of the stuff, and I have heard rumors to the effect that this fellow, the umpire, was interested in seeing the Diamond Stars win,” ‘‘How the—”’ commenced Slicker, off. his guard for a second, though he at once recovered himself, ‘‘ Deuce did I find it out, eh?’ supplemented the irate doctor. have opportunities of finding out many things: that nobudy would suspect.” He winked knowingly as he said this, and ou fellers afore I’ve Slicker felt ra wage ud that the little doctor was a man to be dreaded “Faith! I have the mather booked,” ree ~aplet* ———— ‘‘ Well, in my profession, we: