Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 660 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

e: ‘Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Insurance Case. anyhow, and see what she has to say about Breck.” A cab soon let him out in front of the Murray Hill Hotel. Entering, he sent up his card. The bell-boy soon came back, and an- -nouuced that Miss Lester would see Mr. Bristol, in her private parlor. So Dick went up. Miss Lester was seated by a window, en- gaged in some fancy crochet work, but arose and greeted Dick with less cordiality than before. ‘Well, Mr. Bristol, be seated,” she said, ‘“] suppose you bring news of Frank?” ‘‘No; quite the contrary. I am sorry to say that 1 am of the impression you know more about his whereabouts than any one - else, Miss Louise. ‘*What gives you this idea?” ‘* Well, several things. In the first place, Frank Lester is not your brother at all, if he be living or dead.” ‘Sir! How dare you make such an asser- tion? Frank Lester 7s my brother.” ‘He is not. Your name is not Lester, any more than mine is Vanderbilt.” ‘Pray, what is it, then, if you know so much?” ‘*Your name is Breck. Bill Breck, the ex-convict, is your father!” ‘It is false.” ‘Tt is true. I have had you shadowed, and Breck has been seen to cali upon you repeatedly.” ‘* You lie!” ‘* What was he doing here—he, a scoundrel of the worst type? Can you explain that?” demanded Dick, not at all disconcerted by her insult. ‘*T never saw such a man, nor do I know anything about him. Tl swear to that!” ‘‘T hardly think I would like to take even your, oath, for a person who will deliberately falsify, would not be ‘a credible witness in a court of justice. In my first interview, you stated that you were from the Far West, whereas I am assured by Josiah Lester, of Perkinsville, this State, that you were never west of Pittsburg.” ‘* Josiah Lester?” wh a ‘* Who is he?” demanded Louise. ‘* The brother of the man who adopted you from the poor-house.” Louise arose with haughty mien. ‘*This is heaping insult upon insult!” she cried. ‘‘I did not hire you to come here and insult me, sir. You can go, and don’t you dare to come here again. Do you under- stand?” And she stamped her foot imperiously. **T am not deaf!” Dick replied, rising, ‘‘and when I find him, I shall most likely be ‘able to find you a home where it won’t cost you a cent to live. The State Hotel would e glad to accommodate one so young and charming. It yearly accommodates hun- dreds. soodsday, Miss Breck!” And Dick turned and left the room and the hotel, now more than ever satisfied as to. the guilt of Louise. After leaving the hotel, he steered for Ricketts’s saloon on the Bowery, hoping to - get.pn the track of Bill Breck there again. = Breck was not there, however, but in his place Dick found a substitute, in the person who had accompanied Breck to Circe’s. He was about “‘ half seas over,” and spout- ing about the battles he had won in Old Eng- and. ; By the crowd he was addressed as English ack, | Dick ordered a drink, and asked the gang if they would have a “smile,” and, unneces- sary to add, all ‘‘ smiled.” ‘hen Dick called English one side. ‘Say, my friend,” he said, “are you working at anything?” ‘* No. ae “Do you want to make a stake?” ». 1 wif ‘ ey : ' ; , ~ P Py i ' 7 “As ' - tw . : ; J J 5 a . . » a * . A. Li . a> > Ay. 7 vary" Sit Yd 4 ae : ees 1 ‘¥ Oo, J ‘ F \ Woy » +4 7 ' " ~~ x \ af ~ + 4 wine wh M * , . A. > ‘‘No one needs to worse than me. Ef I don’t raise the wind by to-morrow, Ill have no place to eat or sleep.” “Then come With me, and maybe we can make a bargain.” Dick led the way to the Atlantic Garden, where they became seated. The orchestra was playing, but not many were present, Ordering some beer, Dick begxn: ‘‘Now, my friend, will + su be kind enough to tell me your name?” ‘‘It is Jack Moore, otherwise English Jack.” ‘‘ You come from London, eh?” ** No, from Liverpool.” ‘“Do you know Bill Breck, the tough?” ‘*] reckon 1 do, and I don’t know any good of kim, either. I’m a purty bloody tough, myself, but I can’t hold a patch to him.” ‘* Yet I saw you in his company, a couple of days ago.” ‘* Yes, lknow. He got so full he couldn’t go home, himself, so I went with him.” “Tf I’m any judge, you were about as full as he was.” ‘Not quite. I knew emgugh to navigate, and so took him home.” ‘* Does Breck live at Circe’s?” ‘* He’s got a room on the top floor.” “Dues he rent it from Circe?” ‘* No—from the landlord.” nee you know Frank Lester?” «é O. ? ‘‘ Have you heard Breck mention him?” ‘‘T believe Ihave. But, what the bloody eae aire ye askin’ all these questions or?” ‘‘Because I want you to find Frank Les- ter. Breck knows where he is, and you are topump him. There is money in it for you, if you succeed,” ** How much?” ‘‘A hundred dollars—maybe more .” “ That ain’t enough.” . ‘‘Tt is all I can promise, at present, and that, even, comes out of my own pocket, with no prospects of getting a cent of it back.” English Jack regarded Dick with some curiosity. ‘You are a detective, then?” ' ‘* Yes.” ‘You want to find Frank Lester?” ‘bdo. ‘‘Tsn’t it worth more than a hundred?” ‘* You find him, first. | You will be fairly dealt with.” ‘“You want me to shadow Breck?” ‘\ You.” “Weil, I'll tell you what I'll do: Give me ten dollars down, and I’m your man.” ‘7 don’t know about that.” ‘Suit yourself. I can’t go around Breck’s haunts without money, as you must know.” “True. J will give it to you.” * And he did. ‘Now go, and don’t leave Breck’s trail for a moment, until you can bring me some news.” _ “Neither I will. what place?” ‘‘The Morton House, ard M. Bristol.” “é O K a And English Jack departed on his mission, Vl let you know at Inquize for Rich- CHAPTER X. JOSIAH IN HARD LUCK. HAvine disposed of English Jack for the time being, Dick had nothing to do but wait. He could make no arrest on the little in- formation thus far acquired, and there was no present prospect of his getting any more, except through Jack or Fred Ferris. , Thus, in idleness and waiting, several days passed. Dick had visited Ricketts’s a number of times, but without any definite result; neither Jack nor Bill Breck was there. ‘Fire me, if this ain’t provoking! I reck- on the likeliest thing I can do is to pack up and go back West.” This was the conclusion Dick had arrived at when Josiah hove to on the horizon of the Morton House. Josiah evidently had forgotten his Sunday School class at Perkinsville. He was all *‘ broke up,” evidently, for, ap- proaching Dick, he whispered: ‘“‘I’m bu’sted. Can you stand a shout?” t “Certainly!” and they proceeded to the ar. ‘*Been to see Circe, eh?’ queried Dick, when they had returned to the office. ‘‘No. l’ve been knockin’ around town, seein’ the sights, till the last cent is gone. How in thunder I’m goin’ to git back to Per- kinsville I don’t know.” ‘‘ Why don’t you send for money?” ‘‘D’ye suppose Samantha would send me any money? She’d see me in Halifax, first,” ‘‘ Why don’t you go to Circe, then?” ‘‘Hang her! She’s got all my money al- ready. Ef I hadn’t been a consarned idiot I’a hev stayed at home in Perkinsville, where honest folks live.” Josiah was in a bad fix. . ‘‘If 1 go home broke,” he went on, “‘ my old woman will pull every hair out of my head, and I ain’t got none'to spare.” ‘Well, you can buy a wig. That will an- swer as a substitute.” ‘‘Not much. But the beauty of the ques- tion is, how am I to get home?” “ Well, walking is good.” “Not good enough for a man like me.. I’m too old for that, I thought maybe you would help me out.” ‘¢Well, I'll think it over.” ‘‘But what am I going to do while you are thinking it over?” ‘Give it up: Maybe you can find somé work, if you hustle.” “At what?” ‘‘Cleaning the streets.” Josiah groaned. “Never!” he said. ‘‘ D’ye think I’d stoop so low as that—me, Josiah Lester, of Per- | kinsville?” ‘‘T don’t know as there is any disgrace in honest work. But I'll see that you don’t starve. When you really want to go back home I will pay your way. Bnt you had better remain here until we find your nephew.” “The Lord only knows when that will be,” replied Josiah, despondingly. ‘Well, of course we can’t tell, but I am in hopes it won't be long before we get some news of him.” ‘‘T reckon he’s dead!” ‘“‘It may be. Butif- he sold his policies, no one has yet turned them in to the insur- ance companies,”’ ‘‘ Which they would be likely to, wouldn’t they?” | 2 Yes, if they were sure he was dead.” ‘Do you still suspect Louise?” ‘‘-Yes, more than ever.” ‘‘Hev ye found out anything more conelu- sive against her?” ‘‘T have found out that Bill Breck visits her nearly every day.” “You don’t say!” “Yes, I visited her and told her of it, but she indignantly denied it. She dis- claimed all knowledge of any such a person, and ordered me out of ber room.” ‘““The deuce she did! You can just settle your mind on one thing. * ‘What is that?” “Tf Breck goes to see Louise, she knows he is her father.” “No doubt of it.” ‘ And, knowing that, it does begin to look as if there was some sort of conspiracy, for — Bill Breck is about as mean a rascal as you. kin find.” | | . ee ee EEE al i . . (Fy 4 5 ee , » . t . “tN ef i JESS =. | | site ait ea 5. f > , - ~ , + hl Th Le "J re { ae ‘ , af : = i -— marag » }