Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 608 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

The Pitcher Detective’s Foil. marked Norah O’Connor, as she held up the tin pail from which Dan had drank the water that seemed to have been the cause of his sickness, Doctor Horne took it and put his nose inside, “Ah! Not very distinct, but it is there, nevertheless. I shall have to take this to my laboratory, and then I think I can prove that it has contained diluted laudanum. iy ey —I understand that is your name—hold Mr. Slicker securely for a few minutes.” Then stepping up to Dan, who was in possession of his senses though sick and faint from the effects of the drug, he asked him how he felt. “All right, I guess, doctor, but I shouldn’t care about pitching another game to-day.” The doctor laughed boisterously. **Ha, ha, ha! No, I don’t think those double- curves of yours would be very effective, But, see here, young man, you have been poisoned, and here’s the gentleman whom you have to thank for the experience. What shall we do with him? Administering poison with intent to kill is what it is called in the jargon of the law, I believe it felony, that will send the culprit to the Penitentiary for a few years or lam very much mistaken.” 5 ** Poison?” echoed Dan Manly, with an irre- pressible shiver. és Yes ” ** Hold him, and give him to the officer over there. [ will make a charge against him, not only for attempted poisoning, but for—” A sudden confusion, and Barney Muggins was thrown violently against the doctor, both rolling in a heap upon the ground, while Slicker, at the top of his speed, bounded across sont inclosure, and disappeared through the exit gate. CHAPTER VI. A FOUL TIP, Ir is the morning after the match between the Diamond Stars, of New York, and the Al- bany Club, and the scene is Doctor Horne’s laboratory. Double-Curve Dan, still pale and weak from his dose of poison of the previous day, is listen- ing to a discourse by the doctor on the world in eneral aud base-ball in particular. The young itcher-Detective has ostensibly called on Doc- tor Horne for treatment, but after telling the young man that he is all right, and only needs time to make him as strong as ever, the worthy doctor has branched off to the subject of base- ball, in which he is an enthusiast. An électric bell at the doctor’s elbow rings violently and a moment later Norah O’Connor breaks into the room. “Ob, doctor, doctor!” ** Well?” **Misther Scott—young ‘Misther Dick—has been hurted, an’ he won’t let no one go near him but meself, Ye know, I used to be wid the family afore I wint to the hotel beyant, An’ he’s out of his head, so he is, an’ I can’t do noth- in’ wid him.” Before Norah’s tale was finished the doctor's hat was on, and telling Dan to sit still and wait for him, he dashed out of the house, with Norah close behind him, on his way to the Scott residence, which was in the same block, only a few yards distant. Dan, left to himself, looked around the room, and speculated as to the contents of the various bottles itcontained. Dr. Horne’s laboratory was a chamber of mystery to the ordinary patients who were occasionally allowed to visit it. Considerable of a naturalist, something of a taxidermist, he had stuffed lizards, owls, sword- fish, white rats and other curious creatures, dis- — here and there. With a taste for elec- city, he had two batteries and a small elec- tric engine that he used for grinding drugs, In fact, the room was a veritable museum. His greatest treasure, however, was what he called a “lung cabinet.” <A large glass closet with an iron and steel door behind, fastened with great bolts and knobs, and fitted inside with a chair. The cabinet could be made per- fectly air-tight at will. Its use was to afford relief to persons with mong complaints, The patient was put nside, the door fastened, and then, by an in- genious arrangement, the air in the intericr was rarefied until it was exactly of the same nature as that of Colorado and other mountainous sec- tions of the country where consumptives so often go for relief, Dr. Horne had but lately procured this cabi- thick plate glass, and thought how he must re- semble a wax figure in a show-case, ‘*T guess I can’t be seen very easily from the outside, either,” he muttered. ‘‘The cabinet is in a rather dark corner, and the whole interior must be in deep shadow,” He yawned and leaned back in the soft, com- fortable chair. It was just the sort of rest to invite repose, and the effects of the drug had not entirely evaporated from his brain even yet. He nodded two or three times, caught himself, wondered how long the doctor would be, nodded again, caught himself, and then, letting his head drop back on the soft cushions, went to ar ** Move gently, Bark, I don’t know but what thar may be some one in ther house besides ther old woman. Thar is ther place, ther bottom drawer in thet desk,” These words in a hoarse whisper came to the ear of Dan Manly with unmistakable distinct- ness through the open doorway in the back of the cabinet. Owing to the peculiar arrangement of the room, and the situation of the cabinet in it, the sounds reached the interior of the cabinet as if through a speaking-tube, and awoke the detec- tive from a by no means light slumber. Without moving his head, he allowed his gaze to travel around the room through the plate glass window, Slicker Walker and Barker were standing in front of the doctor’s old-fashioned desk, which was surmounted by a bookcase with glass doors, containing, besides many valuable volumes, a number of curiosities of a generally ghastly character. The backs of the men were toward Dan, but he recognized both ata glance. Slicker’s dress was the same in which we have seen him hither- to, but Barker had again transformed himself into the drunken tramp that he appeared to be when we first made his acquaintance, _ “So; Sam Walker, you venture right in the lion’s den, do you?” observed the detective, in- audibly, to himself, Secure in the knowledge that he'could not be seen unless the intruders came close to the cabi- net and peered through the glass windows, he sat and watched their proceedings at his ease, Barker knelt down, and, with a small steel wedge that he took from his vest pocket, forced open the bottom drawer of the desk, in accord- ance with Slicker’s suggestion, The detective saw that the thieves were well- informed as to Dr, Horne’s habits, The drawer was full of greenbacks, specie and negotiable Government bonds, The doctor, while having the ordinary faith of a business man in banks, liked to keep plenty of money ready to his hand, It was a whim of his, and he was rich enough to indulge it, ‘**How much do you s’pose tharis in here?” asked Barker, his eyes sparkling as he saw the wealth lying before them, “‘Thar’s in the neighborhood uv $50,000, an’ it’s ull ours. Stow it away in yer pockets, while s look around this hyar place for something else, ** What does he want, I wonder?” commented the detective, as he saw Slicker examining the bottles that littered a small marble-top table near the front of the cabinet. Barker was busy at the drawer. He was stowing away the money about his clothes, His whole suit seemed to be made up of capacious pockets, and no matter what he put into them, there was nothing to be seen by the casual ob- server, Slicker, strangely enough, did not seem to care so much about the money as to search among the doctor’s bottles and glasses, Not that he was wholly regardless of Barker’s proceedings, but he did not pay them that close attention that he would under ordinary circumstances, ‘*Cuss him! Whar kin he hey put it,” grum- bled Slicker, ‘Once let me git thet, an’ I sha’n’t keer so much ef they do git me. They can’t hold me for nothin’ than ’cept on s’picion, an’ ther captain hez money nuff ter git me out of thet.” **Has he?” murmured Dan, to whom every word came, owing to the peculiar acoustic pro- perties of the room already referred to, ‘I think the captain will have to be a little smarter than I have found him to save you from Sing Sing when I get fairly on your track.” Slicker took up each small bottle on the table, examined it, and put it down with an air of dis- ust, Then he went to the book-vase and tried ** Thar it is, by thunder! A one-ounce bottie ith an old cork, ‘ith sealin’-wax on top. Give me thet jimmy, Bark.” He hastily took from his companion the small steel wedge, and in a twinkling bad forced open the glass doors, and taken a small bottle froma corner of a shelf, where it had been half-con- cealed by a big book that had fallen to one side, ‘** Don't see what you are making such a fuss over that bottle for,” was Barker’s rather sur- prised remark, as, having finished his job at the drawer, he stood up and stretched himself. ‘Has it had whisky in it, that you want to smell, or what?” ** Oh, it’s just a notion I hev, that’s all,” an- swered Slicker, with assumed carelessness, though he could hardly repress his exultation at having secured what he knew would be danger- ous evidence against him if he should find him- self on trial for felonious poisoning. ‘*So,” muttered Dan, in his chair, ‘that is what he is after, eh? He wants to get that laudanum bottle to destroy it. He seems more afraid of the possible charge of attempted mur- der than the certain one of burglary. What funny fellows these professional thieves are!” Dan Manly smiled to himself. His profession of detective made it imperative on him to study the ways and weaknesses of the criminal classes, and he found it a most interesting occupation. Slicker put the bottle in his pocket, and was about to lead the way out, when the portiere that concealed the door leading to the hall, and thence to the street, by which they had entered, was drawn aside, and a young girl, in a dress of white filmy material, and with her brown hair drawn up io a bunch of curls behind and fast- ened with a diamond tiara, stood in the opening looking calmly at the burglars. For a few seconds no one spoke. Then Barker, in his character of a shabby-genteel tramp, ad- dressed the girl in whining tones: ** Is the doctor in?” **'No, but I am his daughter. want!” ‘Nothing, for myself, but my friend here is sick, and—and—” The girl’s grog eye had caught the fact that the drawer of the desk was broken open, and she realized that she was confronting two desperate men! Dan Manly knew it, too, and was trying to get out. But the cabinet was so arranged that the door could only be removed when certain knobs, controlling valves, were placed in a proper position. Otherwise the pressure of the air on the door prevented its being moved one way or the other. When Dan had gone into the cabinet he had not closed the door, but had drawn it toa little way. To get in or out it was necessary to have the door wide ery A knob on a lever that had been up to the topof the door when he went in had gradually sunk dur- ing the last hour, and the door was irremovable. n vain he pushed with all his might. He could not stir the door. He was wedged in be- tween the edge of the door and the side of the cabinet. Meanwhile the girl was hastily debating as to her next act, She had come into the laboratory gon by accident, supposing that her father was there alone, but she was too bright to be ile much upset by any unexpected encounter wit strangers whatever their character, Her eer said she was the bravest little girl in New Yor State, and perhaps he was righ Slicker and Barker watched her keenly, and when the latter broke off in his h it was because she suddenly not 3 and drew from behind a picture that rested on an easel, a large double-action revolver, which she balanced care- lessly in her hand with the muzzle pointed at Barker’s head. ** ‘What are yer doin’, miss? Thet thing might ooff. It looks ez ef it wuz loaded,” exclaimed licker, waving his hand deprecatingly. **Tt is loaded!” replied the girl, calmly. **'Wal, what are yer goin’ ter do with it? Me an’ my friend only came in ter see ther doctor. It ain’t a very nice thing ter be treated likea burglar when he’s only sick.” ‘* Are you a burglar?” “A burglar? Wal, now, that thar’s an in- sult, ain’t it, Mr. Smith?’ turning to Barker. ““Yes. It’s the worst imputation that was ever cast upon my character,” returned Barker, virtuously, ‘* Sit down!” commanded the girl, briefly as ker gray eyes flashed, What do you see aa he was as pl with it as any child open the glass doors, ‘They were locked. with a new toy. “Never mind, I kinsee all I want without] ‘Sit down,” Dan got up and looked at the cabinet from all heving them open,” he said, musingly. **Oh!” sides, and at last got inside and sat down in the Suddenly rete his right fist into his open She moved a step forward, and alternately chair, He smiled as he looked through the ! left hand, and exc imed, triumphantly: pointed her pistol at Slicker and Barker, Ns. Be SO Ee ee eT ee ar Peer eee OMMICOOOKS. COM