Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 701 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

fa aS + 2te ’ ‘my * ‘. «4 wre ts = ok — Ph entered, talking in low tones to one another, but soon came forth and hailed a cab, When the vehicle came up to the curb to let them get in, Fred glided nearer, and when the cab started off he swung himself under the back of it and clung to the undergearing for dear life. Perhaps it was not the first ride of the kind he had taken, and he knew how to hold on. The cab jolted over the stones for some tims to a confused murmur of voices from within, and the young rider was fearing that he was to be taken to the outskirts of the city, when it sud- denly stopped ina dark street, and the two men got out, ‘‘Is it another nest?” asked Fred of hiniself. ‘‘In fortune’s name, how many webs have the spiders?” He did not drop from his uncomfortable posi- tion until the cab bad proceeded some distance, when he went back and easily found the house into which Paget had let himself and com- panion. He saw a light in the front part of the build- ing, but could not look into the room for the shutters which were tightly closed. ‘“T want to see what is beyond thé window; that’s what I’m here for,” said Fred, somewhat disappointed. ‘‘ Mr, Paget and his dudish com- panion are up to some crooked work, and I ought to know what it is.” Finding that he could not see anything from a front observation, the spy went to the rear of -the cramped lot and boldly scaled the close fence. He dropped down into a small yard and immediately crept toward the house. If the front part of the house was observation proof, the young detective was more fortunate in the rear, for he found a door which promptly admitted him to the basement, and in a short time he was feeling his way up a dark stair, to find a door, which he opened without trouble. He was now fairly in the same house occupied by Jasper Paget and his friend, and going further, he heard their voices in an adjoining room. He wondered why he had not disturbed any one, but he was to suddenly enlighten himself, and that in a very disagreeable man- ner. While Fred was not permitted to see the two men who were in the room just beyond the door, ! he could listen} to what they were saying, an had just begun to catch their words when the portal opened, and he fell back discovered, “* By Jove, I thought so!” exclaimed the man who presented himself to the astonished boy. **it didn’t sound very much like a rat to me, It’s the chap I saw when I bad been carried up from Old Hawkbill’s dungeon by the cops,” and at once Photograph Fred was seized and drag- ged into the room for the young man’s inspection. ‘¢ Was he really listening, Baldy?” ‘‘He was doing nothing else, and I feel like wringing his neck,” By this time Fred had been forced into a chair and the next thing Mr. Faget did was to draw his jacket to one side in search of the bid- den camera, which, to his disappointment, he did not find. ‘* He’s not got his face trap along, but he’s the same boy,” the crook averred. Fred maintained a provoking silence. ‘¢ We want to be sure of it, Baldy,” was the answer. ‘‘ These Arabs look very much alike, you know. I’ve seen them in droves and you - can’t tell one from t’other.” -_ ‘‘ Haven't I got a good pair o’ Peepers?” de- mauded Paget. ‘I ought to know a marked rat when I see him. This is the one I say, Aren’t you, boy?” ‘“‘Yon seem certain of it,” replied Fred. ‘* Where did you say you had met me?” * At Old Hawkbill’s.” ‘* What were you doing there?” ** Never mind that. you know it.” There was no reply to this; Fred seemed to bury his toes in the carpet. ‘“We can’t stay here all night,” put in the young man. ‘I have an engagement, and it’s getting close to the time. You can leave him gagged in the chair, A capital idea, by Jove!” Paget seemed to approve of the suggestion, for he rammaged in the table drawer for a cord, and finding one at last came toward the boy with it dangling before his eyes. * You don’t tie me in that chair,” cried the Camera Sharp, springing from it, as if sent up- _ ward by electric sprin The ‘ young man fell feck with a cry. ** Silence!” commanded Paget. ‘‘ We don’t want any more outsiders here. One’s enough.” The boy had, on the instant, seized a light chair, near at hand, and when Paget advanced upon him he was in an attitude of defiance. wA ‘ + , : Bes (os J gts 7 — gt - 4 5 . *~ é X = als” A ee _— 2 7 eee se CP ee te ie aS = Bee “he sil es Pad yw * . +f otograph Fred, the saw you there, and |: oh A i! 3 CN i ay: te ae , * Ps re ~ a + we ; 4 dink yn ee (4 ol Oh & Me 4 ¥ Pip 1 as) ‘ ’ , - . Ayes s i a 4 i : . eae oe fs eS ‘* You have no right to keep me here!” be ex- claimed. ‘I was doing my duty and you shall not molest or detain me.” ‘‘Hear him!” cried the young man. “ He’s been playing spy on us, and may belong to the police, the young scamp!” ‘‘ That’s just where he does belong. Let him get away and we won’t rest easy from now on. Advance upon him from the left there, and if he makes a motion to use tbe chair, he’ll wish he had never seen me,” The young man was not very anxious to come in contact with the leg of a chair, but spurred on by Paget, he made a sudden movement to- ward the defiant detective, when, down came the uplifted weapon and the dude went back against the wall with a loud cry, though he had barely been touched, Fred felt like following up his advantage, and might have spoiled the young fellow’s face if ‘* Baldy ” had not thrown himself forward and caught the chair. Though the young detective struggled bravely, he found the man too much for him, and after several ineffectual attempts to get away, he was firmly grasped, and then forced back into the arm-chair near the table. There he was held until he was tied fast and when the act had been performed Jasper Paget fell back and laughed Dro phen. ‘‘ That’s the way I treat spies,” he cried. ‘I guess you’re safe the rest of the night, and till I come and let you loose, for that matter. Come, Tatsy, we’ll finish the business.” Fred saw the two crooks go back to the table where they put their heads together and talked in low tones, toolow for him to hear a word. Every now and then the young man would look toward him as if he half-pitied his condition; but reg would soon call him back to the busi- ness in band. The secret affair was at last concluded and the two rose, , ‘‘ Good-night!” grinned ** Baldy,” reaching up to the jet burning above the table, ‘ You'll have lots of company ere long. They’re big fellows, too, ba, ha!” The Camera Sharp made no reply but watched the men as they withdrew, and he was the sole tenant of a room as dark as the chamber in the Pyramid. The last act of Paget was to bind a handkerchief over the captive’s mouth, and though he could breathe, he could not cry for help. Bred had to confess that this didn’t look much like solving the Jump Mystery. CHAPTER IX, A VILLAIN’S PROPOSITION, Let us leave Fred in his uvenviable situation and return to Jerry Jump, whom we left in Simon Sharp’s web with the ejaculations of ‘* Baldy ” Paget ringing in his ears, . It was some time before Jerry could compose himself, and he did not go back to the task of addressing the envelopes until nearly an hour had passed. Then he went to work so as to make a showing when Simon returned, but that plippeny scamp did not seer in a hurry to come ack, Time wore on and the day faded once more, Jerry lit the gas and was completing his work when there were footsteps at the door and he en ana the main spider of the web had come ack, As the key turned softly in the lock the boy turned his bead and saw the door slowly open. In walked Simon Sharp with the swagger of one not entirely sober. There wns a half-angry gleam in the dark eyes of the scamp, and Jerry wondered if the work he hat! done would please him, Coming up to the table, the big fellow ran his eyes over the pile of envelopes and asked if the task was completed, . ? ‘‘ As you see, sir, I haven’t another to ad- dress,” said the Jersey boy. ‘‘That’s all right,” replied Simon, ‘You needn’t work any more to-night.” ‘ ef Then I suppose I can go out and get a ite. Simon Sharp wheeled upon the boy and gave bim a fierce look, ‘*Mebbe you wouldn’t come back,” he ex- claimed. , , ** Why shouldn’t I?” The big fellow laughed. | *‘Yes, why shouldn’t you? That’s what I’d like to know.” Jerry made no reply for a moment. It was very plain to him that he was not going to get out without Mr. Sharp's consent, After awhile the big fellow went to the win- ' Phe é sii ou Bt Camera Sharp. ; > | dow and looked down into the street ‘helow.. 4 “>> ” i AS hea wn a ae - i . aw’ ay yo j - Teg? Looe hw, as il aa, : = a y ».¥ >. { i ' ¥ Jerry was watching him like a cat, ready take advantage of any movement which would let bim escape from the man’s clutcbes, But Simon was also on the watch, and did not in- tend to give the boy a chance to get away until he was done with him. Suddenly the sharper came toward the por. and told him to sit down as he wanted to tal to him. Jerry obeyed, ‘“How did you leave the folks in Jersey?” asked Simon, with a curious leer. The boy prisoner started. It was the first time thesharp had given him to understand that he knew his identity. “Maybe I didn’t come from Jersey at all,” re- torted the boy. ‘* Don’t tell me that, for I know better,” re- — plied Simon, ‘*I knew you the moment I saw you on the street, and I might as well be plain as not, You are from Jersey and I know all about you. But you haven’t told me how you left the folks,” ‘““T Jeft my mother broken-hearted, if you must know the truth. You are Simon Sharp, the man who came to Rosedale and stopped at the hotel several days.” The crook burst into a boisterous laugh which he suddenly checked and leaned toward the young Jerseyite, whom he studied a moment very closely, ‘*So Lam Simon Sharp, eh?’ he drawled ‘in a ludicrous manner of speech. ‘* Well, then, you think you don’t know much good of me?” ‘Not a great deal of good, if what I suspect be true,” rejoined Jerry. “ Where are the dia- monds, Mr, Sharp?” ‘ If a bomb had dropped through the ceiling and fallen at the rascal’s feet, be would not have started more than he did at the boy’s words, ‘You don’t want to accuse me of any crook- edness!” he cried, seizing Jerry’s shoulder and sinking his hands into it, ‘‘This is my house and I won’t stand any accusations in it. What do I krow about diamonds, I’d like to know?” So sure was the boy that his arrow bad gone straight to the mark that he looked the scoun- drel firmly in the eye. ‘ ‘‘T don’t take anything back that I have said because it may not please you,” said he, ‘I am looking for those diamonds, as you must know, if you know that I am Jerry Jump of Rosedale. Besides this, [am also looking for my father, who followed them off almost as mysteriously. I have devoted my life to the task before me.” “ Hunting for a father and a lot of diamonds, ho! ho!’ exclaimed Simon Sharp! ‘‘ When do you expect to find them?” ‘‘Probably when I bave run to earth the ras- cals who carried out the infamous plot.” The color that came to the big man’s face was be enough to alarm the boy from Jersey. imon Sharp looked the tiger that he was, and his eyes flashed like twin balls of fire. \ Then his demeanor suddenly greg 2 he dropped into a chair and crossed bis , In- serted his thumbs into the arm-holes of bis waistcoat, and leered at Jerry in a most in- sulting manner, ‘‘T guess youve got a big contract on hand,” said he. ‘*Y would think so if I had it. One would think from your remarks that you had a suspicion as to who carried off the Jersy dia- monds and the Jersey father.” : _Jerry’s'blood seemed to boil in his veins. He felt like braining the scoundrel with a chair, a feat which looked easy of accomplishment at that moment. ‘‘What reward do you offer?” asked Simon with a wicked gmile at his mouth. | ‘“T offer none. You know that we cannot offer areward for the theft of the gems which, with father’s disappearance, has rendered us oor,” ra Oh, I understand; pleadin act,” sneered the crook. ‘ You’d compromise on half, wouldn’t you?” ‘‘ What do you mean?” ‘You would take back one half of the gems and be satisfied.” ‘‘ Solve the mystery that surrounds my father — 6 diamonds!” was the answer, ‘Restore him to us and you may retain the ems, He is worth more to our e broken- mies household than all the wealth of the world, and keep ull t “That's pretty cool!” retorted Simon. “You! | seem to think that I have bad a hand in the business,” ** Prove that you had not. Prove that you t don’t know how the diamonds vanished, and that you can tell nothing about my father, and — I will ogize. 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