Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 686 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

- ee = 12 Deadwood Dick, Jr., After the Queer. ‘‘ What do you want of Mr, Slater?” inquired the woman, suspiciously, ‘*T was sent for him,” replied Billy. ‘* Maud wants to see him.” *t What does she want of him?” ‘“‘Give it up,” replied Billy. ‘* All she told me was that she had a customer for some oods.”’ ‘* What kind of goods?’ ‘¢ Don’t know—she didn’t say. She gave me this address, and half a dollar to come over bere. She said it was important, and she must see Mr, Slater at once.”’ ‘¢ Well,” said the woman, suspiciously, ‘‘ Sam isn’t here at present. Come around in about an hour, and he will see you himself; I don’t know anything about bis business affairs.” ‘** All right,” responded Billy; ‘* Pll be back in an hour,” a Then he went back and rejoined Dick and Mr, enn, ‘‘T am ter go round in an bour,” explained Billy, ‘‘ when [ shall have the pieasure of'seein’ Mr. Slater. Sammy ain’t at home now, bis sis- ter says.” **T don’t cotton to that,” Dick exclaimed, ‘‘Nor I,” added Mr, Penn. ‘It is merely a job to give him time terescape. Thunderation! et’s go an’ pull down the darned old shebang!” ‘*That won't work,” demurred Dick. ‘* Re- member, Mr. Penn, you are not in Kansas now.” ‘Oh, but I wish I was, you bet! If I was back on that old farm o’ mine, I would give ten years of my life: an’ I ain’t got long to live, either. Whata gol-darned big idiot | was ter ever sell it out! Old Hulks got it dirt cheap, and here I be in New York, minus about two thousand dollars, and haven’t found my son yet, blast “7 picture?” ‘Well, take courage. The chances are that this lay-out will prove better than the others,” “T will bet big on it!” asserted Billy. “I will bet a gold dollar to a goose-egg that Slater is in that house now!” ‘+ Well, Billy,” admitted Dick, ‘* your prophe- cies sare sometimes correct. I have got an idea the same way, so we will hang around the neighborhood, and see that nobody escapes our observation.” ‘‘That’s the idear!” added Penn, ‘“ We'll soon have ’em in our grip, lL hope.” ‘‘ Unless they give us the slip,’ Dick amended. The old farmer emitted an angry growl, “Tf anybody gets away from that aire house while old Daddy Penn is around, he’ll have to be mighty smart! I didn’t come all the way here from Kansas, ter let New York crooks get the best o’ me; nor, Pll be gol-darned, if I intend to! Out at Leavenworth, woere I lived, 1 war conceited to know about as much as the best of ’m. Now, b’gosh, I don’t propose to let any New Yorkers work me any longer. 1 will either find my son or raise thunder!” Mr. Penn was waxing wroth, —_ | ‘* Bully for you!” laughed Billy. ‘‘ Stick to yer text, old gentleman!” _**T am afraid we shall have a long time stick- ing to it,” remarked Dick, “for, if Slater and Reed are in that house, the chances are that they may know of our presence in the neigh- borhood. Now, Mr, Penn, you go to the next corner; I will remain bere, and Billy can make observations from the back street, in this way we shall stand a better show of catching them.” So they separated, and each took his post. A couple of hours passed. Then Dick saw d sneak from the house, and make a bee-line in the direction of the ferry. ‘Now Dl have him!” he muttered to himself. With that he set out in hot pursuit. But Mr, Reed was p etty fly. He led the detective a long chase before he was overhauled. y CHAPTER XV. DICK ‘‘sPOTS” ONE OF THEM, THaT Reed knew he was pursued was evi- dent, for he dodged in and out of different streets until he arrived near the ferry. Here Dick closed up, and clapped bis hand upon Reed’s shoulder. ‘¢ Reed, I want you!” he exclaimed. Now Reed was a big man, and physically the superior of Dick, but he was an arrant coward as well as a knave, * Well, “You want me?’ he exclaimed. what do you want?” : ‘‘T want to take you over to Inspector Byrnes.” | , **Tt can’t be done,” was the reply 7 ‘““T am ® sd . : ' , ‘ . - - > eevee hy ‘et . <) * o “en? : ge : a = » : or WSs s ‘ , * 7 oY * ' + r ° * wep . : ‘ an gh. ru ' « ~~ ve] * Vi, a nee ender apt cart Ee et ee A ee SAU OE, ’ ye s =] eee A, ~~ « = —_ oe uw ps » ates a “4 PET as? Tp ae ’%e 5 ET Se — Vga Sie nse red lS 7 roan ey ete.” Spare 8) eee ° - =” 4 . ™ Pay RE ire 5 fo he Ae rly *y, a 2 ih _* ,? 1 ue eh, ae “ A at AS ig ‘+ * ~ > in Jersey now, and Byrnes has no jurisdiction here,” ‘* But,” said Dick, *‘ I can have you locked up here, until you can be duly taken over.” This made Reed look glum, ‘ ‘* You are mighty hard on a fellow!” said he. ‘* What do you want of me?” q ‘*T want you for swindliung—for enticing Mr. Penn here for the purpose of swindling bim out of his money. You have tried the sawdust swindle on bim, but, luckily for Mr. Penn, you have not been very successful. Now, I have collected evidence enough against you to send you to State’s Prison. Unless you turn evidence against your partner you will have to go. These are plain facts.” ‘* Whom do you mean by my partner?” asked Reed. ‘‘ Sam Slater,” responded Dick. ‘* He’s not my partner.” ‘‘It is folly to deny it,” Bristol sternly re- sponded, “I have evidence not to. be doubted.” Reed hesitated, in doubt as to what he should do. Prison had its certain terrors for him. He had already served one term, and a fair pros- pect of another term was anything but appetiz- ing to him. ‘** Well,” he admitted, ‘Slater is back at the house where you chased me from, or was there when [ left; but, as for Jimmy Penn, [ don’t know where he is, Slater can tell you that bet- ter himself. [ll give you my word of honor that I do not know anything about him. I[ was simply made a tool of in this matter by Slater, and I regret I ever entered into it, ‘* The whole scheme originated with Slater, and he roped me into it. The plot was to kid- nap young Penn, and then entice bis old man and old woman to New York to see their son, under the pretext that he was rich, ‘*Then the gang could ‘ bleed’ him, at leisure. ‘* Slater is an all’round crook and confidence- man. He has traveled all over the United States and Canada, and in some way he picked up the address of Peter Penn, or else met him. By some previous circumstance he had acquired the acquaintance of Penn, junior. ‘* Penn, junior, as I understand it, had been living rather a fast life and, in one of bis maud- lin spells, bad bragged of his father’s wealth, It is most likely that, in this way, Slater got his pointers, Di iy nd ft “Through a misdemeanor I came into Slaters power; then he took SIVALLAG? of me, threaten- ing to put me in prison, and I became his tool. He had money; I had none, and, having just finished a term in Sing Sing, I did not care to try another. Slater knew this, I need not mention the offense which I had committed but Slater knew of it, and knew that bis influence could send.me back to Sing Sing. So he tackled me, and threatened that if I did not go to work for him in the sawdust game, he would have me sent up again. ‘*T knew he was a power among the crooks of this great city, and that, if I refused him, he could produce evidence enough to carry out his threat. On the other hand, he knew that [ was a clever man, and so, when I yielded to his threats rather than go to jail, he proposed this Penn swindle. First, I was to write a letter to Penn’s father, near Leavenworth, under the name of Jimmy Penn, which I did. “Immediately after I had concluded this [ was directed to write another letter to Peter Penn, under my own signature, suggesting to Mr. Penn that I ‘had some green-goods to sell. In the first letter, 1 informed Mr, Penn, as his son, that I was very wealthy, and that, if he would come to New York, I would help bim to a considerable sum of money. ‘*Sjater seemed to know that Mr. Penn, of Kansas, was a very gullible sort of a man, and that it would be an easy matter to lure him here by means of such a_ proposition. Immediately after I sent the offer of green- goods and inclosed a genuine note, as a sample, requesting him to it, to satisfy himself that it could not be detected from the genuine. | Mr. Penn bit at the bait with avidity, and that is what brought bim to New York.” Here Reed paused a moment, evidently to collect his thoughts. | “That is all,” he resumed, directly, ‘‘ that I know about the matter, But, when Penn reached New York, I was instructed to be very careful, and, for that reason, Mr. Penn remarkably cheap. Byrnes and his has esca men had somehow got on to our business; we were constantly under their surveillance, Therefore, it behoved us to lay low until we could catch Mr, Peno out in just the way that suited us,” | AO RSA, Ga © . * * ‘ad ~ " é $ ¢e “4 4% Pi . ole - “~ ’ Fi e . ou ees < wae —~— Vso —— = : rai [ '- - , ae Deadwood Dick had listened attentively to this explanation, without any attempt at inter- ruption. He now spoke quietly: ‘There isa man in Sing Sing who claims to be Jimmy Penn, but, otherwise, will nct give any account of bimself. Do you know anything concerning him ?” Reed smiled. * Yes, I do,” he acknowledged, ‘¢ Well, let us hear about it.” 4 ‘‘His name is Jim Penlynn, He was former- ly an associate of Slater’s, but be and Slater got in arow over cards; and, through Slater’s in- fluence, Penlynn was arrested, convicted and sept up. Slater really has a political pull in the Fourth Ward, and consequently, great influence; and it was through this, that he had Penlynn arrested. With heelers and co; pers at his back, Slater had no difficulty in securing a conviction on a false charge. rh ‘‘That the charge was false, 1 am positive. Slater was afraid of Penlynn, who has rather a nasty disposition, and, after the row, Penlynn and Slafer, being enemies, Slater knew there was alarge possibility of Penlynn’s. betraying him. So be thought it advisable to get him ont of the way. I saw Penlynn the morning before he wus sent up, and he said to me: ‘‘¢This charge against me is infamous, and, as Iam connected with a good family, I don’t want my name to get in the newspapers, So at the trial, [gave my name as Penn, instead of Penlvnn. Now,’ said he, to me, ‘don’t let the old folks know it!” = The man in Sing Sing became less an object of wonder and perplexity. ‘“' That is all,” continued Reed, ‘that [ know about the Jimmy Penn up the river, but I can assure you of one thing—he is not old man Penn’s son!” Dick reflected a moment, ' “ Now, look here, Reed,” said he, “ how are you off for funds?” é' ‘Dead broke!” replied Reed, with a shrug of his shoulders, , ‘‘Then,” continued Dick, “if you are willing to help me in this matter, and you think that by our united efforts we can find young Penn, I can put a snug little sam of money in your pocket!” ‘¢T don’t know; I would bardly know where to look first. Do you propose to arrest Slater now? ie ceedings, perhaps not, ee el * Well, ‘you have been mighty lenient with me, considering the circumstances, and if I can help you, I will. There’s but one place Ican think of, which Slater frequents, where e-are likely to gain any information.” , ~ ‘¢ Where 1s that?” Dick asked. me ‘‘ Union Hill.” ce te Just then old man Penn and Billy Bucket came running up. ’ iit A. The old man was in a panic! | And so was Billy! CHAPTER XVI, CAUGHT IN A CORNER. “Wriu, Mr. Penn,” exclaimed Dick, “ yo seem considerably stirred up and excited,” ‘* Excited ! y thuuderation !” exclaimed the old man, “that air critter, Slater, has escaped |” : ‘“Bscaped?” ejaculated Dick, ‘‘ Where from? The house?” | ‘“Yes, he did,” hurriedly added Billy, “A hack come fer him, and afore we could stop the — darved thing, Slater was off.” Dick then turned to Reed. ey oe ‘Does Siater generally travel by hack?’ he asked. ; ~~ a ’ ———_ eee Se te a ae ee a _——-_- ~— = — Se eee - - « as “ oo oO EE — ‘Well, no; not often. When he goes to | Union Hill he genorally bires one, but, otherwise, not ™ : es “Then judging by appearances, he has gone —_ to Union Hill? ety “Tf J were to express my opinion, 1 should | say he had.” icture! you are as bad as Slateris!” : ee That vill do, Mr. Penn,” interposed | 7 where there is a chance of finding your son.” __ This immediately put Mr, Fenn inv good humor. a7." y nine, n Darn my picture! band, “‘if you find that air | make it worth your while. 1 : if I won’t give you fifty dollars!” i i . - ; - . : \ ‘ ~ Uh : y% . ‘ \e " ‘ ‘ -_ 7 . Lit te Fo. \ , { b! atkt iy, . us tas. ier Phe: = as Mp - ‘ vou “Well, what is your opinion worth?’ de- manded old Peun. ‘* Gol-darn your blasted ‘‘Tf you expect to find your son, you Must treat Reed a little more polite! y. Reed roposed to | turn evidence against Slater, on consideration that I don’t pull him in, He thinks he knows a ‘rim * a >, 7 : ’ ‘ } i f> ‘ y : : — - — : ' be € . Zz - | i eit ee aad