Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 686 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

Sam, and can onl -~ / me ee —tl Oe ee eee ee ee aS EE ose Abijab was a well-posted young man. He knew all the ‘‘shady” places from the Battery to Harlem, The trio at once went to “ Maud’s,” -, \It appeared that Mr. Washington was well known there, for, at a certain signal, he was Sa al admitted, accompanied by Dick add ully, Passing through the cigar store and then the dark room, they next entered a large room that looked out upon a rear court, Here they found a motley assemblage, There were at least twenty persons in the place, the majority of whom were colored, In the center of the apartment was a long table, marked out for ‘“‘red-and-black,” This was surrounded by a group of the game’s de- votees. At oue side was a desk, where policy was dis- pensed. Dick and Abijah looked on for a few min- utes. ‘Then the latter wistfully remarked; ‘*V’rn dead bu’sted, boss, but Sam Slater hab put ten on de red, an’ so hab ’Lige Wilson, an’ dey am mos’ all’us shore to win. Gib me twenty, au’ divide de profits, Shore to win, sah—sar- t’in sure!” ‘* Where is Slater?” | “That feller wid de lucky—he is!” Dick scarcely heard the last words; he had eyes and thoughts for Sawdust Sam only. He saw a well-dressed, dashing, but rakish man of a little over thirty, This person, then, was his game—the man to be ‘“‘shadowed.” Slater was absorbed in the playing, so, as Abijab had put ae onto the game, he concluded to try his uck, He put twenty on the red, and won. “There! I tol’ you!’ exclaimed the guide, **T knew it would win. Try de black, next.” Dick did so, and it won him a nice pot, The game was going along swimmingly, and, of course, as the house was getting a good per- centage out of each pot, they were not inclined to kick very much at his luck. Miss, or Mrs, Maud, who was dealing, was in a spirits, hile Dick was making money, she was do- ing the same, to her satisfaction, ‘You are most fortunate, monsieur,” she said, with a decided French accent. ‘'Isn’t he, Sam?’ And she turned an appealing glance upon Slater. - silk hat. He’s allus ‘** Marvelously so,” Mr, Slater agreed, absent- As he hardly looked at Dick, it was evident he had no suspicion of danger, near or remote, ‘* Pick a quarrel with him, boss,” Billy softly suggested. ‘* Not by any means; that is just what I wish to avoid. I have no proof, at present, against shadow him successfully by having him remain practically oblivious of me. Go light, boy, now.’ af Jost as ye say, boss,” Dick did not see fit to further stake any great amount of money, but stepped back and watch- = one others, He was particularly watching slater. Ten minutes later he was a to sea Mr, Peter Penn appear at Maud’s elbow, escorted by a rakish-appearing stranger. ! ‘Gimme a chance!” requested Penn, loudly. i to accommodate yon,” replied Maud, smiling. ‘*T need a few thousand dollars, an’ here is where I'll git it!” assérted the granger. He thrust his hand into bis pocket, but Dead- wood Dick quickly stepped forward. ‘* No, you won’t, sir!” ke declared. ‘I see you are again in the toils, but Pll save you, in spite of yourself,” : ** W hat’s that?” shouted Sam, furiously. “ This ignorant old man can’t play your game. Penn, unless you wish to lose your last dollar, go home!” _ This seemed to rile Mr, Slater. _ ‘* You miserable sneak!” he cried, ‘‘ now you git! We've po use for you!” ‘But | have use for you, unless you Jet this old man alone, Iam taking care of him, In- terfere at your peril!” | | ‘* See hyer!” cried Abijah Washington; ‘* you know ‘ne, Slater, don"t you?” ‘* Well, { don’t know any good of you.” “Well, let me tell you ove thing. You'd bet- ter keep on de right ob yer bizness, or you’ll hab to move out ob dis yar neighborhood, Dis gen- tleman kin jes’ scoop you in hke a pig can git Pe ory ob swill, so you best not git a swelled head.” ' You black raseal!” | That was enough for Abijah, Chock-full of rh ‘ = om - Ky a * ye : vs ‘* i” ais Ags SET ee , < ae aA ’ A ed oF ee . 1! , * 7 ar. A wt f ay AAR = ~. ’ . . it & An! ; faa 2 , 5 TANT RIT D E LS ies a eee eT? , di ® ited . " fir f Pea y , a a = z \ : om ‘pad tae * —_——— + ae ee ee ee - wrath he ‘‘ went for” Sawdust with clinched fists, Sam’s friends joined in, and so did Abijah’s, Nor did Deadwood Dick or Billy hesitate, They were in the midst of the affray in a min- ’ - oe see seweser tees. wind — ere “y errr y; - = . ' Deadwood Dick, Jr., After the Queer. ea aa a ee eee ee Dick left the inspector and went to his own quarters. He was fairly under way, at last, and bad accommodations to his taste in every way. He had openec a private office on Sixth ute, Peter Penn hardly realized it at the time, | avenue, and bung out this ‘* shingle:” but was conscious afterward that he did his share, And they soon won, for Sam SJater made his escape through a window into the rear court and vanished, No attempt was made to follow him, He knew so many coverts in the neighbor- hood it would have been next to impossible to have followed him, even had they so desired, Maud, also, during the excitement, had taken a-quiet skip, but where, no one seemed to know, There was a sideboard in the room, stocked with liquors, and of these the patrons of the es- tablishment proceeded to ‘* take stock.” The affair figuratively paralyzed Mr. Penn. ‘‘Tve been nigh worked for a sucker,” he groaned, ‘* But saved from being worked Jonger,” re- sponded Dick, ‘‘and, perhaps, you will be more ready now to take my advice.” ‘*lL reckon so, Ef I had taken your advice from the start, ’d be money in pocket now,” ‘Deed you would,” added Abijah. “ Dis isn’t no place fo’a man who don’t know the ropes, an’ ef you'll take my advice, we wil] dust. Dem puck niggers am gittin’ full, an’ while I ain’t no coward, I don’t like dat razor act; an’ you kin bet there'll be razors flyin’ in de air here, d’reckly! It would not do to neglect the advice of one so well informed, and they quickly made their way to the street. ‘* Mighty vey place that!’ affirmed Billy, with an air of relief, ‘*{ didn’t ketch on at first,” sheepishly ex- plained Penn. ‘Your companion caught on,” Dick returned, impatiently. ‘* Who was he?” “Don’t know—met bim over on Broadway.” **Mr. Penn, if you want a dollar of your money left, you will at once quit taking up with strangers,” **T’ll do it!’ the man from Kansas asserted. ‘* Ef I don’t, you may put me in a lunatic asylum, by gosh!” CHAPTER X. : DICK TRIES HIS LUCK. A COUPLE of days later Dick arrested three bunco men on Broadway, whom he had craftily shadowed, in the gencral pursuit of Sam Slater, and when he reported to Inspector Byrnes, he received high compliments for his work, for the chief was put in the best of humor by news of the important arrest. ‘* Bristol, you are doing good work!” the in- spector declared, ‘‘ Why, I have not a man on my force who can toch you, You never seem to sleep,” “Thank .you for your compliment, Mr. Byrnes, but you have men on your force who far excel me in detective work.” ‘*T don’t know about that. We have some clever men—cleverest in any section of the country; but, if [do say so, you can Jead them. Yoa have hauled in a crowd that my own force have not been able to secure, or even to spot.” **T have yet to nab Sam Slater.” ** Any news of him?’ ‘‘ No, He is lying very low just at present.” ** You will get him, and the evidence neces- sary to fix him, in due time. I feel sure of that.” ‘*T am anxious to do so, man called Handsome Hal?” ** Yes. He is around with Sam at times, and _can be set down as one of the gang,” ** Do you know his real name?” ‘* Yes; it is Harry Doyle.” ** Are you sure?” ‘ I don’t think there is room to doubt, though it poigne not be easy to prove the fact.”,, Ke jam likely to havearod for Hal’s Lack, later, ad ~“ Dick had not seen any of the Penns for three days. To avoid paying hotel prices tbe old farmer had secured cheaper quarters, but the alleged Jimmy had not visited the house at last Plainly, Dick thought, he was afraid to meet the gaze of Mrs, Penn. | the detective saw Peter last, there bad been a hesitation in his refereuces to bis alleged son which spoke pay: The young man’s re- ted excuses to avoid meeting Mrs. Penn, had i or to grow suspicious even to a credulous minod, | Do you know of a 4 ; ‘ . . at OMe . Sees te : : 4 -* ‘ : : ’ ' ‘ a7.) I ‘ . as : Fd id ~~, ¢ " Pa hs Ae ° . WRAY A . ox ; St iteg m4 ry -— : ay ee zs Xe ‘ . PY Be iy toe) Ma Z ry » J . : Kt — 18: a ls 9rd »# ‘ + wer x : _ ‘ ’ ¢ deere Oe te we ay ht oe wai <b . 24. ‘. Se </P ~* > So TL eS sss | _—_——_-—_-_---— —- ~~ ee " “RICHARD M, BRISTOL, All Kinds of Detective Work Piomp ly Altended To,” He had notified Mr. Penn of his new enter- prise, and so to this private office the farmer chanced to come soon after Dick’s return, ‘* Sit down, Mr. Penn; I will be with you ina few minutes, I’ve another case on hand, just now, How is Mrs. Penn?” “Poorly. This ‘ere delay is prostratin’ her,” Peter replied gravely. Dick finished up his examination of the papers before him, and then turned to Peun again. ** Well, have you anything new to report, Mr. Penn, ’ . ‘No; [ haven’t! Have you?” ‘* Tam sorry to say L bave not, except that I have proved to my satisfaction that the man who claimed to be your son, is not such, He is a scoundrel, and a member of Sawdust Sam’s gang.” ‘* Are ye sure?” the farmer asked anxiously. ps ar gl era am ‘‘ Then, by gosh! the Gypsy was rigbt! ‘What Gypsy?” $n) . ‘“ Zara.” ‘‘ Oh! the fortune-teller?” ‘‘That’s the one.” ‘So you have been there?” * Yeal” ‘Well, whatdid she have to tell you, Mr, Penn!” ' “She said my son was at Sing Sing for for- gery, and she was the only one that could get him free,” ‘* | suppose she wanted a fee, to do this?” ‘* Yes—a hundred dollars!” ‘* And, I suppose also, that you gave it?” ** Well, [ kicked; butI finally went back and gave it to her.” ‘* Pll bet that’s another hundred dollars gone to waste. If you throw away your money in that style, Mr. Penn, you and your wife will soon peed public support. Fortune-tellers, clairvovants, and the like, are all humbugs,” so—raBUuch ‘+ MVM. a a . about at She knew my pedigree nigh about as well as J knew it myself. She at once called the man who had presented himself as my son, an impostor. She was sure my son was in prison. Now, how do ye figger that out?” ‘*T don’t take any stock in this sort of busi- ness,” Dick returned, ‘‘ but I must confess that we ought to neglect no chance.” f at sticks me is, how the woman should know so much about me !” ‘* How came you to visit her?” “Out o’ curiosity. I once sold a cow fer double price tbrough adyice of a fortune- teller.” “ Well, I reckon you got sold worse than the cow did, this trip,” Dick laughed. ‘‘ However, I will see this Zara, myself.” ‘‘f wish ye would, Mr. Bristol.” ‘* Pl attend to it at once; I have some curiosi- ty to see the woman.” After Mr, Penn took his departure, Dick made preparations for bis visit, He bad read Zara’s advertisement in the paper, and imagined he knew what she looked like—an old hag with a hooked nose, and generally uncanny appear- ance, , He was surprised, when® he was ushered into Zara’s parlor, to meét'So Comely a woman. | ‘Madam Zara, I believe?” Dick questioned politely. | ‘© Yes, sir!” | ‘* You claim to be a clairvoyant?” *¢+T am one. If you doubt my powers, | in- vite you to put them to the test. I am alsoa mind-reader, and know who you are, and what your object was, in coming here.” ‘‘Nonsense! What is my name? if youcan ‘‘ Richard Mayhew Bristol!” The woman was beginving well. Either she had unusual powers, or she had seen him be- fore. ‘¢ Why did I come here?” “With an object. You are a detective, but have come like a private citizen in another’s in-— terest.” “ ' nV ‘Tn whose interest did I come? 7 “That of Peter Penn, of Kansas, Mr. Penn is the victim of confidence-men and _bunco- steerers, He came here to inquire concerning the whereabouts of his son—otherwise, to get clair- Sa es “ae” Se — Oo ee a —————————— I