Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 701 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

At. _—-s. y < ~_ oo . ' ‘Photograph Fred, the C amera Sharp. ~~ carriage in which he and Ada would take the pris- the man they sought, and too lato, as well, to find ner back to the house from which he had escaped. “Stand back,” said the sharp in a whisper. “I am going to surprise him now.” ‘The woman obeyed and Simon bent over the oe to grasp his arm in his grip of steel. The mere touch of that hand seemed to thrill Thomas Jump like the shock of an electric battery. He sprung up with a loud cry and was awake in an instant. } ‘‘Don’t be in a hurry,” warned Simon, “ I've been looking for you, and I’m mighty lucky to find you here.” ‘I’m not going back,’’ returned the Jerseyman. *“T’ve been in the dark along time and am begin- ning to see light once more. Let me go!” Jump was as powerful as the man from Sharper- ville. He faced Simon with eyes that fairly blazed, and Ada, who saw them, felt that a scene was near at hand. “Don’t act the fool,” again warned Simon. ** Things are all tore up across the river, and there’s no one to see you there.” *““ You lie!’? was the quick retort. “I have en- riched you and now you would keep me from a family to make you and your vile pard richer still. I won't listen, I’m going back, [ tell you. Unhand acd or, by the stars above, I'll give you to the shes!"’ Simon Sharp laughed, but the next moment all color left his face, for Tom Jump had thrown his long arms about him and was dragging him toward the water. ‘| guess you ought to feed the fishes, anyhow!” was hissed in his ears. “The law may never get hold of you, and theriver will take care of you till the harbor patrol fishes you out. In you go, Simon. I’m almost as crazy as | used to be; but it does me good to give you to the black waters of the harbor. owh you go!” The woman on the ages was clasping her hands and holding her breath for very terror. She saw Simon struggling in the grip of the man he had prouned, and felt herself powerless to do him any good. The man from Jersey suddenly seized Simon’s throat and an to shut off his wind in a manner that weakened the struggling scamp. “I'm going to free myself,’ cried Jump. “I don’t care what became of the diamonds, I can get more by my brain if I want them. What I want just now is to see you go down to the bottom of the river. Ha, ha! what a Supper you will make for ’ the fish!” Simon shuddered, The man was certainly mad again. He exerted all his strength in hopes of breaking away from the madman who had him in his arms. They had reached the very verge of the ier and were struggling like two wrestlers, now half-way over and now back again. * Ada, Ada!” cried Simon. come to my rescue.”’ “T’ll throw her in after you if she does,” exclaimed the Jerseyman. “Tl give the fish a double sup- er, Ada hesitated.” ‘Help! help!’ she shouted. The nextinstant the two men were on the very one of the pier—the wronged man crowding the ain to ‘sei bein oy remained there for a mo- ment, and then both fell out of sight and into the dark water below! This scene seemed to paralyze the woman for a moment. She stood on the wharf, witb her heart hush-d in her bosom, and her bloodless hands clasped. Shecould hear the men struggling in the waters, fighting still in each other’s arms. Atlast she ran forward. She bent over the edge of the pier and ventured to look. The water ran back under the sliray piles with considerable force, but she could see nothi of the two men. ‘‘ Both are dead,” decided the woman. “If I am found here, thay will make me tell the whole story, and that won’t put me in avery nice light. It might © Ghe fell eck end ren sais She fell back and ran away, leaving Simon Sharp and his victim to their fate. and ins for wings that she might get far from the accursed spot in the least possible time. ‘For heaven’s sake Half wa the pier she en irl, who tried to stop er. . hie Seats ‘Where is he?” cried the girl. . It was Melly! Ada saw this, and broke away, ushing the newsgirl from her with savage violence, and continued her flight until she found a place where she thought she was safe, Simon Sharp and his victim had gone down to- gether. , CHAPTER XIX, DOUBLY CAUGHT. “Tas isstrange. The houseisquiteempty. Ha Simon Sharp moved again?” a “I'm afraid he has, Fred, and this time beyond our reach. ‘Don’t think that, Jerry. We started out to find your father, to rescue him from the grip of the con- spirators, and I’m not going to give up just because we've found this house empty. € saw Simon Sharp on the step, you know, and here are evidences that little room has recently been a workshop of some kind.”’ “Look at that door; it seems to have been broken down by some person.” "a _ “Yes, and from this room too. The two boy sharps stood in the room from which the inventing Jerseyman had lately escaped. They had gained an enirance to the house too late to find | LS > LS sa Ada, who might have been forced to tell them all under threat of the law. Thomas Jump was still lost. and his whereabouts were now a greater mystery than ever. It was the same night of the adventures detailed inthe last chapter, and the lads had counted on finding the lost parent, and ending the hunt which had more than once put their own lives in peril, They hoped to nab Simon Sharp and Jasper Paget, and thus do the whole citya service, which it would be likely to apprecia'e when it learned the truth. But they had been baffled once more, and vic- tory seemed as far off as ever. Jerry was almost on the eve of giving up the hunt. His hopes had risen high to be dashed to earth by the last disappoint- ment, and if Fred had not spoken so encourag- ingly of the future, he would have gone home forth- with. They made a thorough search of the house, but found nothing that rewarded them until just when they were about to quit the place. Fred found a letter under a book and the boys look over it together. It was addressed to “ Mrs. Ada Winters,’ and they concluded that such was the name of the woman who had guarded Thomas Jump for Simon Sharp, A search of the Directory showed that the woman named or one of the same name dwelt in another art of the city, whither they went af once to find hat she had moved, but had left her trunk behind. ‘*]’m afraid we'll have to give up this part of the trail,’’ said Fred, while they walked from the Jast house visited. ‘‘Ada Winters may come back, or she may not. If she is quit of Simon Sharp we may find her, but I fear she is still hand-in-glove with the conspiracy.” / Tbe next day the boys renewed their search, and the morning sun crept high without rewarding them. Jerry received a letter from his mother saying that she was sick and asked him togcome home. She said that she had despaired of ever seeing her lost husband again,and she wanted to have the assistance of her only child during what she felt would prove her last sickness. This made&Jerry eager to return home, and he said he would take the night train into Southern Jersey and give up the long hunt. Fred Paster had just mada a visit to Old Hawkbill who told him that Jasper Paget had entered his shop that merning disguised, and that when he rec- ognized him he went away before playing any game of revenge. The old pawnbroker told the boy detective exactly how the spider was dressed and Jerry wag posted 1o be on the lookout. ‘Here he comes now,” said Fred as a nondescript woes turned into the Bowery and came toward them. ‘*Can you catch him, Fred?” ‘That's just what I’m going to do,” smiled the young photographer. “I want to add ‘ Baldy’s’ hiz to my collection to put alongside of Simon’s. n &@ moment I'll have him. He doesn’t see us as yet. There, I’ve caught the vulture!” Not until he had reached a spot opposite the boys and almost within arm’s reich of them did Mr. Paget have the least inkling of their presence. He saw tbem so suddenly tha’ he fell back, his lower jaw dropping in amazement and his eyes bulging out ‘* That fellow is trying to avoid arrest,” remarked Fred as Paget passed. ‘* Something’s turned up all wrong. We mustn’t lose sight of him now,” and they turned in and became the rascal’s shadows. ‘Baldy *’ quickened his steps and seemed very eager to give his young trailers the slip. He dodged from one street into another, confirming Fred's assertion that something had gone wrong with the conspiracy. ‘There! he’s dodged behind that wagon,” cried the Camera Sharp. ‘“ me: him in sight, Jerry. Everything may depend on this chase.” Paget was moving swiftly ag now, knowing that the young detectives were in hot pursuit, and the boys expected to see him break into a run. ee ie they noticed him stop in the middle of the street like a man bewildered by some danger. ** Quick, there!" cried a policeman who had seen him. **Do you want to die, man?” ‘Baldy’ said something which the officer could not understand, and the next moment he made an effort to get out of the way of the heavy Express wagon which was rushing down upon him. His attempt was made in vain, however, for the horse struck him and threw him in front of his hoofs. The big policeman had rushed forward but too late to save the man from the fall, and when he forced the animal back he had placed one foot on the man’s breast. They picked Jasper up. gasping and now covered with blood, and sent for the poe wagon. “They were after me and I didn’t see the horse,” explained Paget, ** Who were?” “The boy shadows, Are ore here? Don’t let them know that I got struck! My name is Bosler, Billy Bosler, and I’m a stranger in the city.” At this moment, Fred, who was looking on and hearing every word of the falsehood, caught Paget’s eye, and the man shivered. seg “I’m sorry for you, Mr. Bosler,” smiled the Camera Sharp, emphasizing the pame. “I guess you would rather it bad been Simon than your- se 9°? “Take that boy away!” cried Jasper, “If it hadn't, been for him I wouldn’t be here, all crushed by a horse.” Just then an Express wagon came up, and Paget was carried to it. e boys heard the command to drive to the accident hospital, and followed the vehicle as fast as possible. ‘‘That man is near the end of life’s string,” said Fred, ‘*‘ He may talk before he dies.”’ But, Jasper Pagot maintained a sullen silence on the hospital cot, though he still said that his name was Bosler, when asked. ‘ ‘What does the doctor say?’ he inquired, at ast. The nurse looked at a man who was standing near oy ‘*Tell me,”’ cried Jasper. “I want to know the truth, no matter how severeitis. lf l've got to go the journey, I want to know when I bave to start.” There was a short consultation on the part of the attendants, and it was decided to tell him the facts. He had but a short time to live, and they measured out his minutes. ‘* Did those boys follow me here?” he queried. “There are two boys in the waiting-room now,” was the reply. **Send ’em in,” In a few seconds the boy comrades came and looked at the man on the cot. , ‘*You took my picture. I saw you do it,” said Jasper, with a faint smile. ‘I’ve been afraid of that camera of yours ever since you entered the ame ag’in’us. It’s ee can’t get around; get want to talk about these things. I’ve got something more important to say. I guess you're too late to finish the game as you want to. The river got ’em both last night.” ‘*Got who?” demanded Fred. ‘* Why, Simon and the prisoner.”’ The lads stood like spellbound people before the speaker. ‘I saw Ada, and she told me all about it,’ con- tinued Jasper. ‘“‘That is why I was running off in these clothes. With Simon and the Jerseymen dead, I didn’t want to stand all the blame, don’t you see? You'll have to find Ada to get the story.” Jerry Jump fell back and covered his face. After all his father was dead! The long hunt for him had ended at the river, and he would not get to punish the man who had wrecked their happy home and blighted his mother's happiness! For a moment be felt like springing upon Jasper Paget, for he had helped in the feul conspiracy; but when he remem- bered that the guilty man was almost at the eternal bar of Justice, he kept back his hands. ‘* Where did it happen?”’ Fred Paster was asking. ‘You must find da,” was the reply. ‘‘ But. where is Ada?” ‘‘She went to her old quarters, No. 22 T—— street.”’ f The boys exchanged glances. It was the number where the women had lef: ber trunk! “Ada will tell Dh know she will,’ resumed Paget. ‘‘I helped Simon Sharp, and he took the jion’s share. I don't care if the river did get him; but I wish now that the other man had escaped. The diamonds that we got have strangely disap- eared, I got but three of the smallest. Simon has 1idden them somewhere; I know he hasn’t disposed of the tenth of them. Asto the models, we’ve made something out of them, for the prisoner, who seem- ed to have forgotten all about his Jersey home, turned them out pretty fast, and we either sold them or took out patents on them. I never saw such a head as that man has.”’ 3 Jasper Paget now began to sink rapidly. Speech failed him, but he serawled on a sheet of paper Ada’s adcress, and added ‘* Starch Simon’s room,”’ then pushed the paper toward Photograph Fred, smiled and died. “Come,” urged the Camera Sharp to Jerry; ‘‘ we're almost at the end of the hunt. It may not as bad as Jasper Paget made out. Something tells me that it isn’t. I can’t believe that Simon Sharp is going to escape us by the river route.” he young beagles had rushed from the ward, and were quitting the hospital as rapidly as pos- sible. Fred had spoken truly. They were at the close of the game, but they did not dream what was still in store for them. CHAPTER XX. NOT AS SHARP AS HE THOUGHT. “*Sparcn Simon's room;’ that’s what Jasper Paget said,” remarked Jerry to his fast friend, as they hurried along the street. ‘‘If he’sin the river he will not disturb us.”’ ‘‘Do you think the diamonds are there?” queried the Camera egy “*T found the models in his trunk, you know, but the gems may have been there too for aught 1 know. It seems to me that we want Ada first.” ‘“ Ada, then,’’ was the reply. Fred and Jerry proceeded to the number des ed by Jasper Paget, and the woman who had ted them before gave them a curious look. She started slightly when Fred asked her if the woman who had a trunk there had come back. “This is a case of life and death,’’ added the oung detective. “If she is here she must be seen, for the longer she hides the worse it may be for her.”’ The housekeeper did not reply, but looked up the flight of steps, and seemed to be weighing some- thing of great importance in her mind. “J am here; tell them so,’’ came down from above. “They will set the police after me if I fom to tell, and I’ve had trouble enough in my ife.’ At the same time the boys caught sight of a figure at the top of the steps, and Fred led the way up- ward. he woman who awaited them was pee thirty, but good-looking, though there were dark lines beneath her eyes. at- mit- Cc scomicbool