Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 685 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

up his flute, andin a little while the two were in the midst of a lesson, “Do you think I'll ever learn?” asked Jenk- ins, half despondingly during one of the pauses, ‘*T think you have every reason to be encour- aged,” replied the teacher, witb a twinkle in his eye which escaped his pupil’s observation, ‘‘ Why, ’ve known ladies to become good per- formers on the flute while woman’s forte is the piano.” “Female flutists are rare, I guess, but several have come under my notice, one in particular,” ** Does she play well?” eagerly questioned the 0Y. ‘*She’s simply a marvel with the instrument; I never heard anything like it.” ‘*] should like to hear her,” **She isn’t in the city and hasn’t been, fora long time.” ‘* Major Joly Jenkins, you are stretching the truth just now,” decided Hugh under his breath, ‘* You’ve seen and heard Nelly Axtell, and a sly fox Jike yourself needs watching. Here we go again. Til know more before I go home to-night.” The flutes started off again, and at the end of an hourthey were put away, for the lesson was finished and the manager of the ** Eureka ” was mopping his face. ‘* What ever became of your brother, major?” suddenly asked Happy Hugh, ‘* My brother?” exclaimed Jenkins, had one.” Hugh affected surprise. **] must be mistaken,” said he. you once told me about a brother.” **{ could not when I had none, you know, I am an only child. I was born in Jersey, came over to fie York in short dresses, and have been here ever since.” ‘** You have a nice place, major.” ** A good job,” was the reply. ‘‘I have built up an excejlent business for my employer.” **For Mr. Denman?” **'Yes. Do you know him?” ‘“‘T think [ve seen him,” answered Hugh, re- calling the man who sometimes visited Jenkins at the Bureau. “It’s no great secret that Mr, Denman is the real head of the concern,” continued Jenkins, ‘* but I’m the actual water that turns the wheel, Without me the Bureau would go out of exist- ence in a week, and Denman knows this. We booked forty-nine applications to-day, and ‘ crossed off,’ or, in other words, secured places, for nine people.” ** You’re an indispensable,” said Happy Hugh. **f guess Denman thinks so.. By the way, I will show you what 1’ve done,” Joly Jenkins conducted the boy musician to the private office of the Eureka Employment Bureau, which was directly beneath the room they had been occupying. It was a small apartment, rather lavishly fur- nished, A soft carpet deadened the sounds of footsteps, and there was a large easy-chair up- holstered in red plash for the major’s accommo- dation, Joly unlocked an elaborate desk and took therefrom a finely bound ledger, which he in- vited the lad to inspect. ‘‘Here’s to-day’s work,” sald the manager, running his finger down the page. ‘* You see a lot of queer: names, We catch’em here, for some mighty odd fish come to our net.” ** So they do,” rejoined the boy, who was going over the names that bad been booked that day. “Do you post the ledger yourself, major?” ‘* Always, It’s the last thing done before the Bureau closes,” said Joly. “I don’t write a copper-plate hand, but it’s readable, and that’s enough.” ‘ That’s a funny name!” exclaimed Hugh at this juncture, putting his finger upon an entry near the bottom of the page. ‘* You don’t find ey people nowadays whose names begin with ‘© T never *“{ thought ‘Not many, and that’s one of the few.” ‘** James Xenthen,” read the young musician. ** The fellow was as odd looking as his name,” ‘* A foreigner of course, major?” a ee, All the time Hugh was studying that one name, Why did it attract him more than the others equally odd on the same page? ‘I’m going into the office for a moment,” said Joly. ‘Run over the book and get an idea of the business we do,” A moment later Hugh was the sole tenant of the private office, The business room of the bureau adjoined the office, and Hugh could hear Joly in there, evidently hunting for something in the dark. Happy Hugh, the Boy-Musician Detective. All at once Happy Hugh’s hand flew to the in- side pocket of his coat, and in another instant he had drawn forth the letter signed ‘‘ Jack Xerxes,” Jerking the document from its envelope, he bent over the ledger and placed the signature just under the entry. ‘‘ James Xenthen.” His eyes seemed to dilate with victory. He noticed the formation of the letters in the two names. He saw that the “J’s” and the ‘* X’s” were strangely alike, though in the name ‘Jack Xerxes ” there was an attempt to dis- guise, Hlugh dared not investigate too long; but he looked as long as he heard Joly in the business room, and when footsteps moved toward him, the “‘Jack Xerxes ” letter went back into his pocket. Mr. Jenkins came in presently with a box of cigars under his arm. ‘*T found ’em at last!” exclaimed the manager, catching sight of Hugh, and at the same time tapping the end of the box. “I told Nips, my clerk, to bring ’em into the office, but business was so brisk just after he bought ’em that I sup- pose he forgot.” If there was on the boy’s face at this time a trace of ‘tbe discovery he had made, Joly Jenkins did not appear to see it. He opened the box and made the young flutist take several cigars, after which he filled his own pockets, ‘*T reckon | can’t show you anything more to-night,” said the major. ‘‘ Drop in often and see us at work, The ‘‘ Eureka” is going to be the boss Employment Bureau of the city, Going home, eh? Well, good-nigbt, Mr. Hugh.” Hugh touched his hat, said good-night and started off, but half a block away he looked back at the figure of bis pupil and said aloud: ‘* You wrote that letter, Jeep Jenkins!” CHAPTER ITI, HUGH DECEIVES A FRIEND. THE young musician detective soon dropped into a slow, thoughtful gait, ‘*Ona discovery generally suggests another,” he mused. ‘* Now, I have no doubt that the per- son who wrote Jumes Xenthen’s name upon the age of Joly Jenkins’s ledger signed ‘ Jack Karke to the letter I have in my pocket. Why did Mr, Jenkins take such a sudden notion to learn the flute? He told me when [ first be- came acquainted with him and that was a year ago, when I gave the Eureka Bureau a trial, |’ that he detested music; but all once he decides to become my pupil, and he is doing his best, One would think that he is deadin love with a girl who loves flute notes, I must look into this matter as well as watch Joly Jenkins, for, if I’m not entirely mistaken, [m dealing with one of the shrewdest scamps in this city of crooks.” Hugh went back to his lodgings and found on the floor when he bad opened the door a piece of paper which had been thrown into the room through an open transom, Picking it up he unfolded the little sheet and read: ‘‘ Hues my Boy:—Come to me when you read this, no difference what the hour. I think I have some- thing for both of us, but especially for yourself. I am at home waiting for, you and very anxious. , Pur.” ‘©T don’t know bout this,” said Hugh, ‘‘ Shall I go to Phelan? I don’t want to be taken from the trail I think I have just struck; and, on the other hand, I’m anxious to keep on the good side of Phil.” For ten minutes the boy debated the question which confronted him, and at last, putting the note in_his pocket, he decided to go and see what ** Phelan” wanted, Phil Phelan, the detective, had a room a good many squares from the humble nest occupied by the young flutist, but the boy’s nimble legs soon covered the distance, and at ten o’clock he xan up a stairs and burst into his friend’s abode, Phelan welcomed him with an exclamation of JOY. . f You're in good time but I feared you wouldn’t find my note tilllate,” said he, ‘* I think we've got another case—-& real mystery, Hugh. I remember learning something about it at the time, but it had slipped my mind, and, if I hadn’t accidentally encountered old Hayseed to- night, I don’t suppose I would have thought of it again,” At the phrase “old Hayseed” Hugh started, and his thoughts recurred to Ahijah Axtell, the old Jerseyman. “ There is stopping at an obscure hotel a short distance up-town,” continued Phelan, “tan old gentleman who came to the city about a week since in search of his granddaughter who left his | house some five years ago, I ran against the } old fellow quite unexpectedly and as he is somewhat loquacious when you get on the right side of him, I soon had his story.” ‘*Confound it!” mentally exclaimed the little musician, ‘‘T must tell old ’Hijah to watch his tongue, Phelan’s all O. K.; but I want to work this case myself, just now,” The detective did not appear to notice the boy’s displeasure. ‘** The old fellow’s name is Axtell,” ke went on. **He’s got lots of money and is willing to spend every dollar of i> in the search for ‘ Nelly.’ He tells a pretty straight story, and his theory is that the girl did not go away of her own accord. He is inclined to believe that she came, or, rather, was brought, to New York.” ‘* Rive years ago?” asked Hugh, as if the story of Nelly Axtellwasnewtohim. ‘* And heis now here looking for her?” sé Yes.” Hugh seemed to lean toward Phelan, the de- tective, ** Phil, don’S you think it’s a cold trail?” he asked, ** Rather cold, I admit, Hugh, but—” ‘** Well, what?” “‘Old Hayseed’s well fixed,” finished Phelan, with a grin. ‘** Got lots of stuff, eh?” ‘Thousands of it, Besides this, there’s a for- tune coming to the girl herself, but in a way that is rather hard to understand from the few words the old chap let drop about it, Anyway, if the girl, Nelly, was stolen, you may bet your head with safety that the parties who did it know all/about the fortune.” ‘* Perhaps,” replied the boy; ‘* but, I don’t like these cold trails. Just think of it, Phil. According to ’Hijah Axtell’s story, for five years he has heard nothing of Nelly. A good many people die every day, the young as well as the old. If the girl didn’t go off on her own hook don’t you think she’d have turned up long ago in some way? Wouldn’t she have written to ber grandparents? She would have to have a mighty cold heart not to have done something of the kind.” ‘It looks as you say, Hugh,” admitted Phe- lan. ‘*‘l had thought the whole thing over be- fore youcame. Itell you it would be more than a feather in our cap if we could find Nelly Ax- tell; if would be a fortune in our pockets,” ‘* Right you are, Phelan.” With this Hugh fell back and looked at his friend. ‘‘ When I wrote the note you foundin your room, I thought we had struck a bonanza; now—” ‘** You don’t think so?” broke in Hugh, ** It doesn’t look quite so flattering; but still, there’s a chance.” eh. ** Did Mr, Axtell describe Nelly to you? Didn’t he tell you about her peculiarities?” ‘* He told me how she looked when she went away.” . Nothing about her ways?” ** Nothing.” Hugh was rejoiced, _ Ahijah Axtell had not gone as far as he feared. He had told Phelan nothing about Nelly’s passion for flute-playing, and evidently had not men- tioned the letter signed *‘ Jack Xerxes,” ‘** Well, what do you think?” finally asked Phe- an, ‘*T must go back to my first comment, Phil. It’s a cold trail.” Phelan said nothing for a moment, ‘‘ | think I shall dropit,” hesaid, ‘* You can’t tell why nor how Nelly Axtell left home, no mat- ter what her grandfather’s opinions may be. However, if you choose, you may make it a point to drop into the old fellow’s hotel and pump him,” The young musician detective took out a note- book and seriously wrote down the Jerseyman’s name and present address. He had come out of the interview better than he had expected. Phelan did not suspect that he had ever seen Axtell, much less that he was interested in his affairs, and, eager to get away, he bade the detective good night and burried off, “ve got to bridle ‘Hijab Axtell’s tongue be- fore I do anything else,” said Hugh to bimself when he came down out of Phelan’s room and found the lighted lamps about him. ‘I don’t wan’t everybody to hear this story and there’s no telling bow many have heard it already, [t’s rather late for the Jerseyman, and I sup- e Til catch him in bed; but, bed or no ery I must post him before I sleep. This is my case exclusively, and I’m going to manage it as I think best,” Taking a car, Hugh went up-town to with- in a square of Mr, Axtell’s hotel, and it was ; \ \ - ‘ P| : \. r wy “a ~ - , a eA oy / . — _ _ were ; | r i 4 . * A », Ve ‘\ comicboo ‘ ' | ee Re . ~ a ee e - ~ Se, “7° : , i AES tS = s.com My