Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 671 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

o- gS eh iow : . J =. ; oy + eo : - a oe “nF “' ae % i , 7 ’ et on ~ ‘ : wn «i ~ 7) > 7 od a - - ; +f * lt ss ° we eo oe a hk . —- eS ee | len. >. a su< = . “ od - ~s. © el Per * ' « * atk Jersey Jed, the Boy Hustler. ’ ‘ ek is y 3 or 4 . - é s at Vas : 5 2 "Tm afraid you've kept silence too long,” he CHAPTER XIIL. warned Lola against him, and he hated the or rejoined. ‘‘ Men, criminals especially, change HOLDFAST & CO, DISSOLVES. oung Jerseyite more than ever. Ff _ very much in six years.” ; Mr. WEBB WELDON’s failure to bargain with ‘“‘T could throttle the young lynx!” he went a **Can’t your detectives find the trail?” Mark Murchison had somewhat discouraged, | on, before Nottingham could reply. “I think i * i'm not employ ing. any such people now.” tsough it did not baffle, the young man. | you did the business a hard turn when you let : Jed wondered how Mark Murchison could sit He was resolved to beat the nabob despite his | bim out of the trap; but don’t curse me for it, it there and coolly tell him this after all he knew | stubbornness, for he knew that without some | Nick. We don’t see alike sometimes, If Cap- ly about Captain Catchem’s work; but he gave the | showing of means he would rot be able to cap- | tain Catchem has formed an alliance with the | yy nabob to believa that he took his word for the | ture Lola Lewis and her father. boy—” . ; : a: truth. | He was on the street a short time after Jed’s ‘* He can’t do that!” interrupted Nottingham, , “Now, what would-you give for information | interview with that young lady when he felt his | remembering his late call on Mrs, Jeffreys. = leading to the whereabouts of those two men? | arm gently touched, and the next moment he ‘*The Jeffreyse’s will trust no party but them- queried the boy. , - was looking into the face of @ woman who had | selves, I know that.” a ‘A good deal. Id be willing to delight your | come alongside. ‘But it isn’t pleasant to be watched at this am eyes with a healthy check.” ‘‘ Ah, Polly,” exclaimed Weldon, ‘‘ What has | stage of the game by a man like Captain Catch- + ee Fe that alg”? happened ?”’ em who knows about my Visit to Murchison ‘ Murchison ladked astonished. ‘‘A good deal, sir,” was the reply. and who may. have some secret knowledge of ar . What more could you ask?” he exclaimed. * Ts it disastrous?” the house of Holdfast & Co, besides, . We must D- Would you" be willing to present us with a “*L don’t know what you will think of it; but | change quarters, Nick. The nest we have occu- a eerfain paper which you might recover by the | I wouldn’t call it very good nervs,” | pied so long-»must be deserved,” - : 16 arrest of the robbers ¢” | Webb Weldon conducted the ‘woman to bis | Nottingham bowed his acquiescence to this some color left the face into which the boy | own lodgings, hé was not far from them at the | suggestion. He had been thinking of sucha + looKer. time of the meeting, and in ashort time he knew | move, and in a few moments had proposed a 6 You seem to think, like:your mother used to, Hall about tbe boy aetective’s visit. qnarter of the city which seemed to meet with that there are in existence certain documents of | Polly had recognized Jed, and had also played eldon’s approval, 3 Ss priceless value to your family,” he said, | listener to her own advantage. ‘We'll go to-night,” said he. ‘ We'll fold #8 “t know it!” cried Jed; rising, ‘“‘Mark Mur-| ‘I don’t like this sudden turnimg of the tile,” | our tents like the Arabs and steal away. Mark t- chison, you know that white those papers re- | said Weldon, with a shake of his head, ‘‘ That | Muarchison’s ferret will thus be cleverly beaten, Ja main out of our hands they blight my dead fa- boy is up to everything. Heisas shrewd as a | and we can direct our attac from new ground, ther’s reputation. We implored you to give | lynx. You don’t think he recognized you, | Whet are you going to do nw?” 6-33 ae them up years ago, but you would not, Heaven | Polly?” ‘‘ mm not going to drop our ‘ band,’ you may d knows why you did not destroy them a thousand ‘Of course be didn’t, though the moment I | depend on that,’.was the quick retort, ‘* There’s i times over when you could have done so, A | opened the door I knew him.” too much at stake.” Aa. strange fate protected them, They passed from ‘*Polly, you must get hold of that letter I ‘* A wife, eb?” grinned Nottingham. my your hands at last and became the spoil of two | lost,” continued Weldon, exbibiting a good deal ‘‘ And two fortunes besides!” er adroit robbers. That they are still in existence, | of anxiety. ‘‘ Lola could have made nothing Nottingham looked away across the grass of ‘es know or firmly believe; and to-day you | out of it, but the boy knewit the minute he clap- | the Park, and his lips quivered a moment, and ave « detective on the trail, even while you | ped eyes upon it. I knew I had Jost it, but | then met. th d play fast and loose with the masked plunderers | never dreamed that it slipped from me in her ‘You are right, Webb; there is a great deal is of Oak Mansion,” housa,” at stake just now,” said he, without looking at Murchison showed his amazement at these ‘* Vil get it!” cried the woman, confidently, his companion. ‘“*We win much if we win; if, words in his look, ** If she sbould show it to her father—” on the other hand, we lose, we lose everything. fam willing to treat with you, but on one ‘She'll not do tbat,” broke in Polly Pindar. | Let us fall into Mark Murchison’s clutches, and e condition,” continued Jed. ‘‘ You'must restore | ‘‘She’ll take the boy’s advice and hold it till he you know what will happen.” _. those papers. You must turn them over to me | calls for it in the line of bis work,” Weldon, who bad a deep-seated horror of the moment they fall into your hands.” ‘* Where does she keep it?” prison cells, shuddered; but be chased that feel- ‘That's asking a good deal, boy,” was the re-}| ‘“* In her boudoir.” ing away, replying almost gayly: oa ply. “Don’t you think it is, seeing whathas| ‘Do you ever go there?” ‘We never counted on failure, ha, ba! When 1? already happened?” — ‘* Quite often, That’s a part of my duty, you | we are rich again, Nick, two city nabobs, we'll y Tt is simple justice!” promptly retorted the | know,” smiled Webb Weldon’s spy. ‘I’m her | look back at our little scheme and enjoy it.” ¢, | Young detective. “It is justice to my mother, | maid and have free access to every part of the Nottingham did not speak, A sbadow had | 4 Whose life has been in the shadow of disgrace so | house.” come over his face, and he was looking across | fe Wag: : , “But knowing what she does about the letter | the grass again, , 7 _ “I can’t do all this. You have no right to ask | will render her suspicious,” : ~«_. | By-and-by the men arose and walked away, . gael swegbhe favor at my hands,” | **'That would be natural,“you know; but I'll ‘*Do you see anything of him?’ queried Wel- = ‘table Tight?” and the Jersey. boy sprung to the gotpold of it all the same... lola keeps no safe | don, in low tones, when they bad gone some 188 oS oked 5 eres it with’ his chnched hand n her room, and I know what keys will fit cer- | distance. ~ 2 4ooked across it into the nabob’s face, ‘Do you | tain locks,” “No, I keep my eyes open, you may be Z Sit there.and tell me I have no right to seek the **'You’re worth your weight in gold, Polly!”.| sure,” was the response. ‘Captain Catchem aS rightleg of an infamous wrong? Shame upon | exclaimed Weldon, at which the woman smiled. | has lost me again, but there’s no telling for how e: & you, ark Murchison! If you are not disposed | ‘* When we win the game you'll not be forgot- | long,” | a . = me i make amends for the past at this time, the | ten.” ' . ** Forever, I trust!” ~ @ hour may come when you will not be asked to **T hope not,” was the reply, These three words found a responsive echo in — — aie : An hour later Weldon might have been seen | Nottingham’s heart, Somehow or other a feel- oe ibe nee aon pores into a coarse laugh under | sitting cross-legged on & Settee in the nearest OB of fear seemed to have taken possession of # ie 8 § cheeks flashed crimson, » park enjoying a cigar as though nothing trou- eldon’s partuer. He was superstitious, like ie fe cad Fea ‘hot have brought me to this house,” | bled him. all men of his class, had bis ups and downs, but mi Heys after a brief ause, ‘“‘Since noth- He seemed to be waiting for some one, and | Weldon could see nothing that should greatly ht | 18g good can come of this interview, I will take by and by a man approached and dropped | discourage him just then. a eave. a beside bim, “What's to be the next move on the old man?” : a Bo Heaps 2 heer cons fo the door by which} It was our old acquaintance Nick Notting- | suddenly asked Nottingbam. ; he % ;: b Pe ered bine iorary, followed all the | ham, and Holdfast & Co. wasintact again. ‘A closing in one, A deep play that will matin es a 9 yi @ searching eyes of tha man at the Weldon had resolved to say nothing about | win the game.” . ee A “Gd i-nicht, if 5 des <' heart what Polly had told him; he would let the ‘That's just what it should be,” responded ae ry] « led Mut Sia’ 1k you are determined to go,” girl capture the letter, Making sure of it before | Nottingham. ‘‘Sarah Jeffreys was very stub- Be a ae lahat be a oe! ling Nottingham anything, even if he told | born,” =< | |. Jed bowed stiffly, At the same time ho Jaid | him then, Weldon nearly stopped at these words, = ia Bis hand on the knob, but the door did not |. ‘The old fellow is sceuting us,” were Nick's} ‘* When was she stubborn?” he asked, “sy oF | fae | first serious words, and the reader may be sure ‘““When I offered to share with her,if she — — se} Aman instant the thought that he was a prison- | that they startled Weldon. would agree to let us make real use of berin vue ae ie Marchison’s handsome house flashed through ‘The old fellow?’ he echoed, not exactly cer- | the play.” ; » Als mind, ms : tain in his own mind about the “old fellow’s” | ‘ Did you do this?” at | >...2pen the door!” he demanded, stepping | identity, pte 4 Nz he <m and drawing his figure up to its true ‘“I mean his detective—Captain Catchem,” **'W hen?” “i 7 pe " eT. answered Nottingham. ‘Ob, a few hours ago,” replied Nottingham, Oe at 4i’m not holiling it, answered the man, ‘Oho! scented us, has he? Are you sure of | half carelessly. 4 ~ be. No, but you have locked it,” ~ ._ that?” eet ‘* Where?” : a; | -. &Second’s silence followed Jed’s speech, ‘‘He’s been watching me at any rate—| ‘At her house.” 'Z Sat TF golt tea ill listen to.reason and show your-| watching me like a hawk.” | “And she refused?” sere. to} tractable there will be no prison doors for} ‘ When did you catch him at work?” ‘* Refused utterly.” oe ag fp oe Mae » re Jv ned Murehison, peat bad * Not an hour ago.” “ Were you alone?” eG xy ert betray my cause, you ean,” pT “Where was he?” ** Quite,” ae, i oa ro ae Gp git cause, ha, ba, ha!” | ‘On the street.” “ Are you sure there was no listener?” a oes _ _ £0 was a cold, cruel and heartless laugh, and ** And you?” | “As gure aS any one can be who doesn’ | ate to set-the boy’s every nerve atiog!e with r aur him "esobe his look out just. as if it | know everythin tia Sarah Joliray ever =e TID te al te wasn t tbe § t consequence to me. | She will listen tonotbingelse” 0 Spent Oot Pa any Mark Murchison. I} {But it wan eb, Nick?” = pet ghe wants the earth!” exclaimed Weldon, _ he} : point. You have Captain Catchem _; AIL the consequence in the world.” “We can’t give them toher. Weknow what _ ot 3 , If he can outwit Holdfast & | ‘How do you think he came to suspect us?| they’re worth to her and her boy eee a | We il cae a ee your prisoner, am I? | Where did he pick up thé clew?” j Heaven, they’re valuable to us as well, Whatl %, ieee the dearest victory of your a ig me, if I know!” aut | give that woman—the mother of nyt oung — ~~ Jed finishad but three ¢..6 eo ck ceca ||’ Don’t you think he may have seen the owes —those documents? I'd give them to BR Fizz , whom h 6 feet from the astonished bore ty 2 2 eng: | the fi a arst!” ae aerate Se ieee) CRT Ge Waom he looked squarely in the face. _ Weldon spoke bitterly. It was Jed who had | The two men separated some | oe MONE cat ie Ag ET SRR Feo net aay Fe oe eet TE et OEY MENG a is, DS Ale cs ss IMIGDOO! @ ty, Soir as “- 2