Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 685 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

and employer! % ¥ t _ . ee ee | ; hire. we J 4h) 4 not far from twelve o’clock when he walked up to the clerk’s desk. Of course he was told. that Ahijah Axtell had been in bed three hours and more, and when he insisted upon seeing bim he was met by a look of astonishment, **Do you know him?” asked the clerk, “To be sure I do. Do you think I’d punch up a stranger at this hour? ** Won’t to-morrow do?” “Tf you think it will just keep me from Spl guest till then, and there’s no cab in ew York swift enough to take him to an- other public hash shop,” This was too much. “Come along. The bell-boy is up in the fifth story,” which made Hugh smile for the house had but three floors. In a few moments the wilted clerk was pounding on the door of room 34, and pres- ently the voice of Axtell demanded to know what was wanted. ‘“That’s Uncle ’Hijak,” said Hugh, ‘' You can go now. ‘*Hello! here I am again!” continued the boy, as the door opened exposing the Jersey- man ip short garments, “You? Well, I’m squashed!” ** Not fatally, 1 hope,” answered Hugh, slipping into the room. he old man shut the door, drew back and looked at the lad. ‘You haven’t found Nelly already have you?” he exclaimed. ‘* No, but ’'m not without hopé if you watch that tongue of yours,” Thereupon Hugh gave Mr. Axtell some whole- some advice. ‘* From this time on I’m as mute as a Jersey clam,” declared the old man, ‘* I’m willing to do anything that‘promises to restore Nelly. Shall I go home?” ** No, not that,” replied Hugh. be needed here.” “Then I stay, but Pll play Sphinx the re- mainder of the game.” At which the boy detective was gratified. “If it wasn’t for raising the boarders, I’d ive you a hornpipe!” he said, thinking of the ute in bis pocket, ‘‘Give me one anyhow, but play itlow. It will remind me of Nelly.” Hugh took a seat on the edge of the bed and played as low as he could several tunes, which seemed to float a mist before Ahijah Axtell’s eyes, = wea, done this, he bade the old man good- night and went away. s he skipped down the stairs leading into the office, he stop suddenly and looked at a man who was bending over the Register. While he looked, this person raised up, and Hugh saw his face. It was Burt Denman, Joly Jenkins’s friend ** You ‘may CHAPTER IV. THE SPIDER AND HIS FLY, HvuGH instantly drew back, and falling into the shadows of the stairs, continued to watch the man below. There could be no mistake, He had seen Burt Denman at the Eureka Em- ployment Bureau; and had not Joly Jenkins confessed tuat he was the real head of, the con- cern? The boy shadower continued to study the well-dressed young man in the office until the latter thanked the night clerk for his courtesy, and walked out, Denman had hardly turned his back upon Hugh, than the boy came down the stairs two steps at a time, and glancing hastily at the clerk, quitted the hotel at the fellow’s heels, It was now midnight, but the hour did not dampen the boy’s ardor. ““There’s more than one finger in this pie,” assumed Hugh. ‘‘ What brought such a swell oung man to a little one-horse hotel but some ind of rascality? Joly Jenkins and Burt Den- man belong to the same rest, and bave but few secrets not common property with themselves,” By this time Denman was walking off, enjoy- ing a cigar which he had just started. He was elegantly dressed, as he always was, for the **Eureka” brought him considerable’ revenue, thanks to Joly’s shrewd management, It en- abled him to keep up a style which caused him to be envied by some who had a larger income, and those who did not know him thought him a rising young banker, or the only son of some wie | nabob, Burt Denman was anxipus to reach any : +e ° certain place within a given time, he did not show it. He strolled leisurely along the almost deserted sidewalk, twirling his gold-headed cane and puffing at his fragrant cigar. All at once, several squares from the hotel, he was joined by a man. “Joly Jenkins!” exclaimed the sbadower, who was near enough to see the shape of Den- man’s companion. ‘ I’jl bet he’s forgot all about my last lesson. Ab! yonder ’s as precious a@ pair of scamps as this city harbors! I'd like to know what they wouldn’t do if it was to their interest,” The two men withdrew to a spot which the searching light of the nearest lamp did not reach and began to converse in low tones. ‘*They’re comparing notes,” decided Hugh, watching them, ‘* Burtis telling Joly what, he discovered at the hotel, and Joly is talking about something besides the affairs of the famous ‘Eureka,’ ” This was ovident to the young detective from what he saw, and as he could not approach the two men without being discovered, he was compelled to watch thern at an aggravating dis- tance, When the pair left the scene of the conference they were followed by Hugh to a house nearly twenty squares from the spot. Burt Denman produced a night key and opened the door. ** This is a bit of luck that makes me smile,” Hugh heard him say to his companion before parting with him for the night. *‘ Does the old moke expect to pick up the trail after all this interval?” ‘* There’s no telling what he expects to do,” answered Joly. ** Tl see that he’s employed,” and Denman laughed. ‘* He needn’t be idle while he’s in the city. I’ve got lots of time on my hands, and Ill begin to-morrow, or rather to-day, for it’s morn- ing now. But, good-night, major. I'll call at the office and report resulis,” Denman disappeared within and Joly Jenkins was walking away alone, Hugh did not give Joly up until he had tracked him back to his lodgings over the Bureau, when, pretty well blown, he sought his own little room in the tenement and threw him- self upon the cot to thiak, not to sleep, The sun was up when the young detective came out of the short doze into which he had finally dropped. He sprung up and, taking his flute from its drawer, sat on the edge of the cot and sent out some merry bird-like notes, “*That’s as good as a breakfast sometimes,” he exclaimed, layin beginning his humble toilet. ‘‘ ve got a busi- ness day before me, and it seems to me that I ought to know something before night. Joly will be at his post during business hours, so lil not disturb him. Mr. Burt Denman js the gentleman who must receive my attention; so Py goes for breakfast and then for the new trail.” Tt did not take Hugh long to satisfy his appe- tite. Some hot coffee and a plate of fish, flanked by a dish of fried geese soon fitted him for the task ahead, and in u short time he was hur- rying along the street. His intention was to have another interview with Ahijah Axtell for he wanted to warn him to be on the lookout for Burt Denman and to this end he went toward the Jerseyman’s hotel. He was told there that the old gentleman had risen an hour before and had gone out for a walk. ‘* Which way did he go?” As a matter of course the clerk did not know. Nonplused by this state of affairs, Hugh went back to the pavement and looked both ways. In one direction lay a small park, and, guess- ing that it would attract the Jerseyman, he walked toward it with eyes on the lookout, ‘* Well, I’m beat!” cried the boy, halting sud- denly. ‘‘ The fly has already fallen into the clutches of the spider. Idid not expect you to get ahead of me, Burt Denman, but, there you are, and I surrender!” The scene which had caught the boy’s eye was enough to halt bim. Just ahead, on one of the iron settees of the little park, sat two men—Ahijah Axtell and Burt Denman! | The spider and the fly. The elegant Burt had come from his web as fresh as @ daisy, and his oily tongue was moving with all the volubility be knew. Hugh could see that the fellow was trying to captivate the old man and it was very plain, and painful as well, that he was succeeding. At last Denman consulted bis watch. ** By the way,” Hugh heard him say, for he the instrument aside and, Happy Hugh, the Boy-Musician Detective. now raised his voice, *‘ you will breakfast with me, Mr. Axtell.” The Jerseyman—lost Nelly’s grandfather—said he did not like to impose upon good nature when he bad money himself; but Denman pressed the invitation and insisted so strongly that the old man yielded. ‘Fairly caught! I give you credit for that, Burt,” exclaimed the young spy. ‘‘ If the web isn’t broken and the fly freed, I’ll quit the game,” The countryman and the city sharp crossed the park and Hugh followed them to a fashion- able restaurant a square beyond. He saw Denman conduct Ahijah down the long aisle and select a secluded table. ‘* Blessed by a tongue like that which Burt Denman carries in his head, Uncle ’Hijah will forget his promise to me, and Burt will know everything before they get to toothpicks,” thought Hugh, ‘ Thisis getting interesting. If half-believe the ‘Jack Xerxes’ letter was writ- ten for the purpose of decoying the old man into the clutches of the pair. If so, it was a clever bit of business,” Meantime Ahijah Axtell had ordered his breakfast, wholly discarding the bill of fare, and Burt was talking again. ‘*T have plenty of time on my hands,” said he, ‘‘ and I shall be pleased to devote much of it to your entertainment. I am astonished to learn that you have never been to the city be- fore, and you live so close, too!” ‘* ve never had anything to bring me up,” replied the Jerseyman. ‘* An old fellow like myself—one set in the ways of country life— can’t keep his end up in the city where sharps and sharks abound,’ ‘*Ha, ha! I’m sure you could!” laughed Burt Denman, giving his mustache a little twist. ‘If IT were one of those fellows I'd know better than to tackle a gentleman of your intelligence, Do you expect to be our guest very long?” ‘* That depends,” said Axtell, a bit of mystery in his tone. ! ** Oh, you're here on business?” xen,” The reply seemed curt enough to abash any one, and Burt with all bis sleek polish and au- dacity, was for a moment set back. ‘*T’m here on business of a personal nature,” resumed the Jerseyman. ‘* You will pardon me, Mr. Nicholas, if 1 cannot enlighten you as to its nature.” This was a momentary stunner for Burt, He almost fell back in his chair, and if the twe breakfasts had not come to bis relief at that moment, for once in his life he would have been at a loss for language, ‘* When I talk ‘ business’ you won’t!” he said to himself, glancing across the table at Axtell. ‘Has some one given you advice, or are ‘you your own mentor? But, never mind! lll draw you out of your shell before ’'m through with you, Joly would grin if be knew this,” Ahijah Axtell began on his breakfast and led the conversation from the channel into which Burt Denman had attempted to tow it, Burt grimly humored the old man. ‘‘T’ll catch you yet,” chuckled the city sharp. ““ No man ever beats me at my own game. know what brings you to New York; but I want to find out what your opinions are.” Nearly an hour later the two emerged from the restaurant. The boy detective was stil] on guard. “1 don’t think the gold-mine panned out very well for you, Mr, Denman,” smiled Hugh, no- ticing the countenance the spider carried, Just then Ahijah Axtell held out his band, ‘*Good-by, Mr. Nicholas,” he said, ‘ l’ve got to go back. I hope to see you later, when Vil make it all right for that breakfast. Good- morning.” And the old Jersyman was walking away be- fore Derman could recover his breath, Happy Hugh could have laughed outright over the sleek rascal’s defeat, but he was too close to indulge in any boisterous hilarity. Denman gazed after Ahijah Axtell and bit Ips “ Better luck next time!” he cried. ‘* By Jove} I believe I'll let Joly try his hand. I must tel] him, anybow.” And off he stalked, alternately cursing and laughing at himself. When Axtell had turned a corner Hugh ran forward and caught up with bim. ‘I guess you'll do,” be exclaimed, tone the old man’s sleeve. ‘From what I’ve seen, I think “ou’ve bluffed one of the biggest rascals in New York,” ‘“*W ho—that Mr. Nicholas?” ‘Burt Denman; but no matter what be calls himself, He's a blood-sucking spider al) the same, and you must play Sphiox to him /” oa i) ’ \ me a? < ee) * of ii 4 oe es Se 7. av’ 443 a ee a “a - i 7 7