Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 701 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

- since you struck New York, especially if you’ve been on Fifth avenue where the goid-bugs live; but Melly’s happy for all that, and I call her a daisy.” The door could not boast of a bell, so Fred rapped with bare knuckles, Presently footsteps sounded in the hall beyond, and then the door opened, revealing a girl in plain clothes, but with the brightest pair of eyes one sees in a day’s journey. | ** ve brought you Jerry Jump from Jersey,” explained Photograph Fred, conducting Jerry forward, ‘ This is Melly, Jerry—Melly Noonan, the Star of the Streets.” The eyes seemed to increase in brightness, and the girl laughed as she escorted the boys to a snug little room at the end of the ball, ‘**T got rid of all my papers to-day, and in a few minutes at that,” began the girl, who had geen sixteen summers, though shé was rather small for her years. “ You see, the news from Africa did it for me. Stanley has found Emin Pasha, and everybody wanted to read about it. They didn’t seem to care for change. Why, the big man who was so clever once before, handed me a half-dollarand said: ‘‘ Never mind the pennies, girl,” and was off like a flash of light. I don’t like his face, as I’ve told before, Fred; but he’s a clever fellow, all the same.” ‘*T’m afraid Mell’s mashed on him,” said the eity lad, winking at Jerry, as the girl concluded, “* The other time he bought a paper he gave her a quarter, and now he’s increased the pile. I guess she'd like for Stanley to find Emin What’s- his-name every other day.” Miss Noonan smiled and said she would not care how often the big man gave her almost ten times her price for Ler papers, ** You ought to catch him with your camera, Fred,” she laughed. ‘‘I can’t say when he will turn up again, but I'd like to have his picture, anyhow.” *“*Maybe I have it here,” answered the boy photographer, lifting from his pocket the picture of Simon Sharp which he had taken from the album the last thing before quitting the house, ** Here’s a ehap I ‘caught’ on Broadway the other day. Is he your liberal friend?” He tossed the little picture into Melly’s lap, and the boys saw the girl bend toward the lamp and look at it. All at once Melly uttered a cry of surprise. ** You’ve caught the very man!” she exclaimed. ** You’ve caught the person who gave me a half- dollar for the paper!’ The boys looked at one another, but did not speak, They could hardly believe what they had heard. **T can’t be mistaken,” continued Melly Noon- an. ‘‘I would know his face anywhere, and you have taken it very well, Yes, this is the man.” ‘* That is Simon Sharp, the man in whom Jerry and I are just now very much interested,” re- plied Fred. ‘And, if all accounts are true, there’s not a bigger rogue in New York.” **T never called him an honest man,” quickly inter the newsgirl. ‘‘ Helooks too slick, to be that, But, that’s the man and no mistake,” When Melly had identified the photograph, Fred resolved to make her acquainted with Jer- ry’s mission to the city, and she listened to the story of it with undisguised astonishment, She, too, had no doubt that Simon Sharp, or, the man whose portrait Fred had slyly taken, was the same one who had made the trip to Rose- dale, and volunteered to report immediately her next meeting with him. ‘* This is something,” said the Camera Sharp to Jerry. ‘ You identify my picture and so does Melly. That shows that the original is still in the city. When we've found him we’ll not lose sight of him till we have tracked him home. He’s as desperate as he is sleek looking. I saw that in his eyes,” ‘“‘ Were they brighter than the big diamoud he Sa de on bis shirt front?’ and the girl smiled, archly. ' Me Le didn’t bappen to wear one when I caught 11m, ‘‘He had it on to-day,” was the reply. ** Why, it seemed like a star, it was so large.” ‘‘Father had one beautiful stone,” put in Jerry. ‘It was the delight of my eyes, and he promised that I should inherit it. It was almost perfectly round and had a yellowish cast,” **Mr,. Sharp’s diamond was round; I noticed that much,” Melly rejoined, ‘I’m willing to lose a good customer in order to hear of Mr. Jump getting even with the man who wrecked his home. You must.not let him slip through ‘hae 2 fingers, Fred. He’s as slippery as an eel; ae hands are as soft as silk, but his eye tells the e. ——_—————— LL LLL LLL LL LX WLLL LLL LLL LLL LL LL teal Photograph Fred, the Camera Sharp. A few moments later Fred and Jerry were once more on tae street, and the Camera Sharp explained that be had furnished Melly with suf- ficient capital to embark in the newspaper busi- ness on a small scale, that she bad a little stand on a corner, and a goodly number of regular patrons, beside some transients who dropped round now and then, taking the odd numbers off her bands, ‘It seems to me that we have gota start,” pursued Fred, ‘‘ Of course there is a bare pos- sibility that the man I’ve ‘ caught’ is not the Simon Sharp who came to Rosedale; but, Pm going to think he is till we know more, You never heard anything positive about your father’s death?” ‘* Nothing,” answered Jerry. the city post-office?” ** Just a few blocks further down.” “I’ve been looking for a letter from mother,” returned J T- ‘* She promised to write, and I would like to hear from her.” ‘** We'll go down and inquire,” and the boys turned into the Bowery again, and ere long Jerry was at the general call window of the huge post-office building. n reply to his query he was handed a letter which he Rasen eagerly, and turned to his friend with tears of joy in Lis eyes. ‘Mother bas kept her promise,” he exclaim- ed, and then he stepped to one side and tore open the letter. While the Jersey boy read the letter from home, Fred was watching everybody who came and went in that particular partof the great building. He wasthus engaged when he heard a sharp cry, and looking upat Jerry, saw him beckoning him with eager hand. ‘Something else has happened!” said the Jersey boy, ‘‘I tell you this is a deeper plot than we think. Mother writes that the out- house, in which we kept the many models of father’s inventions, and those not finished when he disappeared, has been broken into, and the unfinished ones carried off!” Photograph Fred looked like a person who does not know what to say. ‘** Broken open and the models stolen?” was all he could gasp, ‘*That is just what has been done,” asserted Jerry. ‘*‘The deed was done night before last. What do you think of that?” The Camera Sharp did not reply. ** Now, what good would a lot of unfinished models do a thief?” continued Jerry. ‘* Nobody knew how to finish them but father, and they were very imperfect when he went off. This is the second blow, Fred. They first beggar us, and then steal the models of what may be the beginning of a new fortune,” Let’s go home and try to think this mystery out,” Fred suggested. ‘‘I believe it won’t be dark, always, ou will read what your mother has written, and then we’ll put our heads to- gether. There may be a connection between the theft of the models and your father’s disap- pearance. Who knows?” Jerry would bave asked Photograph Fred for an explanation of his words if he had not turned away. The boys did not speak much to one another during the homeward walk, but when the little room in the tall house had been reached, Fred turned upon bis friend and catch- ng his wrist, said in tones that seemed to thrill im: “Your father is living somewhere, Jerry! The models were stolen for him to finish, That’s my opinion, and I'll bet Fred Paster’s head that I’m right,” ** Are we near CHAPTER III. A WOLF LOSES HIS BONE. WHILE Photograph Fred and Jerry Jump were wending their way toward the home of the former, a man who is destined to play no incon- siderable part in our story, was bestowing a good deal of curiosity on a carriage which was moving slowly in the middle of a street and un- der the many Jights of New York. He had come upon the vebicle by accident, and was now following it after the manner of a spy. In person the shadow was rather tall, but he had one physical defect, a stoop in cne shoulder which seemed to throw the whole body “ out of plumb” as it were; but be was nimble-footed and easily kept up with the carriage. He did not give up the chase until he had tracked the vehicle to a well-to-do residence on a quiet street. He there saw a young lady descend from the carriage and enter the house, and when the door had closed upon her, he walked away ye | person satisfied with what be had ascer- ained. shoulder entered a certain shop on one of the not over decent thoroughfares of the great city. She shop was small and was inhabited by a man known everywhere as ‘‘Old Hawkbill.” His real name,to the few who knew it, was Jacob Moneyfist, but “Old Hawkbill” was good enough for those who had dealings with him, The moment the man entered the shop, which was not very well lighted, a figure came from the rear, and the two met in the middle of the “Tve been wai'ing for you,” smiled Old Hawkbill in a whining voice, ‘' You said you would be here by acertain hour and the time ’ has 354 ‘ ‘** Well, | saw something on the street that kept me back,” was the man’s answer. “ But, never mind, I’m here anyhow. You can lock up now if you want to.” Jacob Moneyfist glided to the front door, which he locked, and then came back to his visitor, whom he conducted toa rear room of small dimensions where burned a greasy lamp on a greasier table, ‘* Did you bring it with you?’ he asked glan- cing at his visitor’s hand ere it disappeared in his bosom, The reply was a withdrawal of the hand, and the next moment the stranger was unwrapping something on the table. Old Hawkbill eyed his hands like a bawk, and when the last paper was removed and a little model in brass ihn before him, he gave vent to an exclamation of surprise and wonder. ** How’s that for fine work?” cried he of the deformed shoulder, falling back and lookin first at the model and then at Old Hawkbill. “* I fancy that you don’t see anything like it very often.” The little black eyes of the old im ey ved of the shop sparkled like diamonds, e leaned forward in his wonder and looked closely at the model, at the same time smoothing his face thoughtfully, as if calculating how much it was worth, ‘* I'd like to know where you run across such things,” said he at last, ‘*OFf course you would,” laughed the other. ** ‘You'd like to know how you're going to get into paradise, but you’re not likely to have the riddle solved before you die. Where did I run across this wonderful bit of mechanism? Ha, ha! that’s a joke. You see a fortune in it, don’t you, Jacob?” The eyes snapped an affirmative reply. **T know where there are more Saieien in models,” continued the stranger. ‘‘I can lay my hand on otber things in brass and wood just as wonderful as the one you see before von.’ ** Don’t you want a partner?” asked Old Hawk- bill. The man addressed leaned back inv his dirty chair and looked into the parchment face before him for a minute, **T might want something of the kind, that’s a fact,” he replied. ‘‘1 want to make some money out of this little invention, and what is wanting is for some one to father it and get it tented. You have patented some devices, acob; a rat-trap for one, though they say it never caught anything, ha, ha!” Old Hawkbill essayed a feeble smile and looked at the model again, ‘‘f believe I'd rather sell out and be done with the whole affair,” resumed the man, lean- ing back inthe chair. ‘ There’s a bargain in it, Jacob.” ** And a big risk,” whined Old Hawkbill, ** How so?” ‘* The real inventor might come forward and claim his work,” The person with the low shoulder laughed. ‘ll guarantee you against that,” said he. ‘*The hand that made that model will pever come between you and success, I will attend to that. You can have it patented under your own name and be perfectly safe. It’sa gold mine, man,” Old Hawkbill eyed the model once more and seemed to confirm his visitor’s last words, ‘* What will you take forall rights?” he finally squeaked. ** One thousand dollars,” In an instant all color left the old man’s face and he fell back with a gasp. ‘* Why not beggar me at once?” he exclaimed. **One thousand for a bit of machinery that has never been tried? I can’t think of such a sum.” “* Very well; this ends the trade,” and theman coolly picked up the little model and put it back in his bosom. ‘I guess there are some people in New York who know a good thing when they A few minutes later the man with the drop | see it, and they’re not very hard to find,” ‘ ° al S| APR . cpoo0 / 3 ee > KS.com * ali | , _- . io 7, ( ae t ’ . ’ .