Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 671 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

— lt mm = tee ee —_~_— « =~ = eee & co =m = SFParst Saaorte ~ae BOidd tof # mater coe ve 10 —— She was very curious and eager, this fair irl, and Jed concluded to treak the ice without urther preliminaries, ‘*T have called to acquaint you with the ckar- acter of a person of whom I fear you know but too little,” said he. Lola started as though she had heard some- thing thrilling. She said nothing, but continued to look at Jed in a strangs manner “ Your friend, Mr. Weldon,” resumed. the boy, when Lola leaned suddenly toward him and held up a finger. ‘What! bave.you come to talk of him ?” she exclaimed. ‘If so, lower your voice,” and the speaker looked furtively toward the door. ‘‘TIsn’t a mention of him agreeable here? I thought—” “It is agreeable to a part of this house—not to all of it,” was the prompt response, ‘‘ Mr, Webb Weldon, did you say? Do you know him?” ‘*T have the honor to know of him, if an honor it be,” said Jed, **Tbhen you don’t esteem the knowledge you mention a very great honor; 1 can see that, Mr. Jeffreys.” “ You are right. I[ don’t call it a great thine to know Webb Weldon. I understand that he comes to this bouse with designs on the lady I address.” Lola colored suddenly, and then turned pale, **] don’t see why | shonld keep anything back, seeing that you already know so much, and believing that you are my friend.” “You can proceed with perfect safety.” Jed bowed as he spoke, ‘I know a good deal about this snake in the grass,” ** He eomes to this house without my consent, put [ am powerless,” continued Lola, her tones becoming indignant ones. ‘*Somebhow or other he has wormed himself into my father’s favor, but I despise him. He represents that he is very wealthy, and wealth, [ am sorry to say, is the ‘open sesame’ to that parent’s heart. You cannot know the full extent of the mischief Webb Weldon has wrought since crossing my path. His shadow has blighted my whole life, and if he carries out his real scheme, which I féar he will be able todo with my father’s assist- ‘ance, I shall become very unbappy indeed,” ‘*But does your father suspecé that Webb Weldou may be a bad character—that some of his past exploits may have been criminal?’ ** No, Lam sure that he has not thought of that. [tis Webb Weldon’s fortune that catches my father.” ** His fortune?” echoed Jed, with an irrepres- sible laugh. *“* When did he get one?” ‘* From a rich relative who died a few months ago. The legacy has not yet been paid over, but he is to make a showing of wealth witbin the next few days. Such seems to be the agree- ment between my father and him.” “Why, Miss la, this sweet-scented rascal hasn’t fifty dollars to his name, He has lost no relative lately, urfless the sheriff has hanged one, and the money he expects to show in order to clinch the scheme he is working on your fa- ther he hopes to wring from the coffers of a certain man whose name is no better than bis own.” ““T wish you could prove this!” exclaimed Lola Lewis, ‘**I would owe you my life-long thanks, boy, if you could expose this infamous piece of business the object of which 1s the de- struction of my happiness,” “That’s just what fetched me to you,” re- joined Jed. ‘I’m on the war-path and a part of my campaign is against Holdfast & Co,” At sound of this Name the young lady seemed to fall back and grow white again. “Wait until I return,’ she said, rising hur- riedly, and the next moment Jed found himself the sole occupant of the parlor. He was rot kept in solitude long, for Lola soon returned, bearing in her band a piece of paper which she é¢xtended to Jed as she came to a hat before him, **T will tell you why the mentién of Holdfast & Co., startled me,” she said. ‘*E found this bit of paper on the floor of the library immedi- ately after one of Webb Weldon’s visits, I have shown it to no one until now, It seemed to bea threat addressed to some one, and was the first thing that rendered me suspicious of his charac- ter. Jed tcok the paper and leaned toward the window, “ Ho!” he exclaimed, with a glance toward Lola, when he bad ran his eyes over the writing, “Mr, Webb Weldon would not have lost this— not for the world, He evidently doesn’t suspect “? Jersey Jed, the Boy Hustler. ee a ee ee = that it fell into your hands. It shows what he | Polly had never been suspected by the simple cen is doing, He is playing for the wealth be must | Jersey. folk, She disappeared soon after tho 9 — shcw to win you, miss. This letter would have | robbery and Jed had not ounce encountered her r found its way into Mark Murchison’s bands if | in ali those years, v the writer had not lest it, I¢ is signed Holdfast Fora moment he thought of sending Lola a & Co,, and is, indeed, a threat, and a part of | note of warning, but fearing sthat it might fall the game the firm is playing. Keep it, miss. | into Polly’s hands, be did not take this step, Don’t let that paper slip through your hands. “Tl see what is in this suspicion without t If it weighed a hundred pounds it would be | alarming Lola,” he said to bin self. “If Polly a worth its weight in gold to you.” isin Webb Weldon’s employ now she was then, D “ How?” and can, if she will, give some damaging tes- t ‘‘ In helping to baffle these precious rascals,” timony against Holdfast & Co.” * Webb Weldon, theu, bas a partner?” Jed soon afterward became aware. that he I “Yes, a big fellow named Nottingham, | Was veing watcbeil, q Webb’s senior in. age, though not in adroit A few yards beyond the bench which he had raseality. He'd be hard to beat at that, [m | occupiedin the Park stood an elderly gentle- ©. thinking.” man who tried to seem oblivious of the boy’s Lola looked at the dropped letter a moment | presevce, and then put if away. ‘‘ Ha! Mark Murchison, when did you discover “Tf I could see your father I think I conld | me?’ thought the young shadow. ‘“* Has Cap- convince bim that all that glitters is not gold,” | tain Catchem enabled you to recognize me on ” pursued Jed. ** Does he trust Webb W eldon?”’ sizbt? or is this the first time you have seen mé a ‘*He seems to believe’ every thing he tells | since I eluded your detectives over in Jersey?” him.” if the man was Mark Mnrchison he hat alter- I ‘“Bnt should the legacy story be exploded, what?” “Tt would have to be done effectually to open his eyes. He has told me that I am to become Webb Weldon’s bride when he con- vinces him, as he says he can, and will, that he has one hundred thousand dollars in bis own right,” ‘* It looks very much like a business bargain!” indignantly cried the Jersey boy. ‘What else is it?’ was the response. ‘“* My heart alternately burns and bleeds when I think of4t. [am now convinced by you that Webb Weldon is a thoroughpaced villain. Not only this, but that he is at the bottom of a game for the fortune which, as is well known, [ will pos- sess on my wedding morn, If he fails to make the showing he is to make, the chances are that ‘he will lose the play; but men of his stamp are fertile in invention.” “T know that, and what Holdfast & Co, don’t think about in rascality isn’t worth fool- ing with. Now that you know some thing from ‘the outside’ about Webb Weldon, that you know also that you bave friends there, I will take my leave.” ‘**T owe you my grateful thanks!” exclaimed Lola, ‘“‘If you want helpin some of your un- @ertakings let me refer you toa friend who will render all the assistance in bis power,” The fair girl flushed deeply as she spokes Taking frouvher pocket a small memorandum, she wrote upon one leaf which she tore off and handed to Jed, The Jersey boy glanced at the pase, read thereon: ‘* Noel Weymouth, No. 692 N-—— street, city,” and put it in his pocket, He now understood the coloring which-bad accompanied the giving of the address, Noel Weymouth was the bolder of the young irl’s affections! ‘Keep up a stout heart,” advised Jed, ere he withdrew. ‘‘I aminto this campaign to balk the plans of two precious villains, or know why not. If Webb Weldon ever shows that hundred thousand and claims you on the strength of it, Pll get me to a nunnery, ba, bal” And again reading thankfulness in Lola’s eyes, he withdrew, ‘““The game is for two fortunes instead of one,” he commeuted when he found himself on the street again. ‘1I’Jl make the loss of that letter eost Webb Weldon dearly. Itis mine when- ever I want it, and Lola won’t let it slip through her fingers, ~Matte:s are coming toa crisis pretty fast. Captain Catchem must work like a beaver to win the game for bis employer. But there’s another face in tie Lewis house that interests me as much as Lola’s does, I've seen Marie, the servant, before; but where? Wait; let me think,” Jed, who had by tlis time reached a Park, turned aside and took a seat under the trees, ‘“*T have it! It comes back to me like a flash he suddenly exclaimed, ‘ I knew I had seen that woman before. She is Mark Murchison’s old servant, Polly. She served him when his safe was plundered by Holdfast & Co, That wo- man is a spy!” 9? CHAPTER 2II, THE NABROB’S TARTAR, Ir did not take the boy detective very long to see that Webb Weldon had placed a spy in Lola’s home. If the servant was playing that role now what sort of one had she played six years before? Had she not admitted the robbers to Mark Mur- acpi! | house, thus helping them to plunder her * —_——_—- ——__ ee ee ed bis appearan ough not enough, as we have sean, to prevent Jed from spotting him. tl Jed Jeffreys sat quite a while longer, ap- P parently unawere of thesly espionage which the nabob had begun, ani when he rose and. saunt cl ered off very leisurely, he saw Murchison fol- r low, If the time had been night, it would not have e heen difficult to elude his shadow, but in broad | daylight he found that task not an easy one, a He was crossing a street not far from the cons st fines of the Park when be heard a quick step be- MA hind, and looking up the next moment, he beheld * the piercing eyes of Murchison, ‘f Of course the recognition was now mutual, ‘It isa long lane that turns not!” exclaimed P the nabob, whose eyes could not keep back his 2 satisfaction. Jed smiled. w ** Do you think it has turned?’ he queried, ‘*Tt certainly has,” was the instant respcnse, os ‘‘ Boy, I want you to go home with me,” tl ‘With you?” th “et Yes.” = Jed thought rapidly. P Why does this man want me to go with him? 3: What has hetosay? CanlI help cur cause by humorinzg him? I don’t see how I can injure it, y I believe [ am a match for Mark Murchison, if 1 he am a boy, = . 2? on ie you live pear asked , : ‘Ten minutes ear fo — t} ‘* Lead on, then.” Mark Murchison seemed delighted with his - easy victory, and a minute later was walking § .; rapidly off with Jersey Jed trotting along- a s de. Tbe couple did not exchange many words dur- ds ing their walk, and the few were commonplace jj, ones, When Jed went up the steps and into the “is nabob’s house he wondered anew whet would be - the outcome of his singuler adverture, Murchison led the way to the library—to the re same room in which but a few hours before he ‘in bad met Webb Weldon in the game which might m be termed a draw, * How’s your mother?’ suddenly asked the old nt oh turning upon Jed who stood near the ti table, a ‘* My mother? echoed the boy. - ‘‘ Yes, You live with ber, Come, don’t try ai to deceive me for that can’t be done, I know too much. Does she hate me Jike she used to?” hi Here was an opportunity which the boy could > not let slip. I ‘‘She hasn’t seen anything in your Course ay during the past ten years to change her opinion,” bi said be, ‘“‘T haven't crossed her path once in all that b time, If you two had treated me right after the wt robbery things might be different now,” ‘You mean if | bad toldwhat Lknew about the two men?” Marchison made Lo reply but his look said: ‘6 Yes, that’s what I mean,’ se “You see,” continued Jed, “ you ought riot to yc have expected me to favor you, not under those | extraosuuary circumstances even,” ‘* You aided and abetted crime on that occa- sion.” ‘‘That’s what some people say | did.” ie ‘* You hel those scoundrels off, They got away with the plunder and ere unpunished to-] 4, day, simply because you would not tell the] 4, truth.” Cx * Do you want me to tell it now?” Ww Mark Murchison, who was eying Jed from lif across his heavy writing-table, leaned back and : took a long breath. na | ' 900ks.co COMIC