Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 701 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

‘2 ——— Use Photograph Fred, the Camera Sharp. 9 Sharp, if I have misjudged you; but I must be- lieve that you know more than you will tell.” ‘In other words, that I stole the diamonds and afterward had a hand in your parent’s dis- appearance?” “That is my belief,” was the calm rejoinder, and the boy as he spoke looked the big scamp squarely in the eye. ‘‘I say that you and an- other man, who is not unknown to me, are re- sponsible for this state of affairs, and that there is coming a day of Mea, ems when the guilty shall be punished and all made clear.” Simon Sharp sprung from his chair and step- ped toward Jerry Jump, who involuntarily fell back. ‘“‘ (ll crush you before you sting me! Do you hear that?” he exclaimed. ‘I don’t intend to have any young. vipers crawling over my path, I’m no fool when my interests are at stake, You hope vengeance will overtake me, do you? Well, that is just whatit won’t do. You don’t get out of here till IL open the door, and that may not be very soon.” , Jerry was ready to think this highly probable, but he was not going to show that he thought as much, and Sharp looked at him as if he consid- ered him a human enigma, ‘*T’ll bring you your supper,” said the villain, moving toward thedoor. ‘‘ When I come back lll havea proposition to make and you want to consider it carefully.” ‘Why not make it now?” asked Jerry. **No, I won't,” was the decisive response. ‘¢ Wait till I come back.” Simon carefully unlocked the door and slipped out, leaving Jerry once more alone. He had broken the ice between him and the rascal and was now sure, if he had any doubts before, that he was on the right trail, and longed to acquaint Photograph Fred with his discoveries; but, the question that puzzled him was: How am I to get out of this web? It seemed to him that Simon had deserted him for good, but-the fellow was attending to his own appetite in a neighboring restaurant, and not un- til be had satisfied it did he think of Jerry, At last the boy prisioner heard footsteps on the stair; then the door opened and Simon came in, carrying a basket in which was a good supper. When it had been placed before him, Sercy fell-to without ceremony, while the city crook sat back and watched him with much interest. He seemed to take delight in contemplating the vic- tim he had captured, as if mentally calculating how much the victory was worth to him. Jerry thinking of the proposition that was to be made to him; hurried through his meal and when he had finished he glanced at Simon and waited for him to talk, ‘1 s’pose you’re waiting for the proposition?” said Simon with a smirk. “ You didn’t think I had forgotten it, did ? ‘Well, hardly. I want you toconsider it well and not jump atan answer, We were speaking about the lost diamonds, you remember? Some of them might get back into your till if you act decent and show a disposition to play fair. You say you are poor,” * We are poor,” answered Jerry. ‘* So much the better for the proposition,” con- tinued Simon, ‘“ You need not continue in pov- erty, but can have a good time of it if you will only look at my proposition in a business light.” Jerry said nothing. Itseemed to him that the scamp was just trying to torture him. ** Now my proposition is this: I will agree to see that you get back some of those very dia- monds—enough to put yowand your mother in easy circumstances—if on the other hand you will swear not to follow this so-called trail any longer.” A short silence followed the proposition, ‘‘'You mean that I am not to look for my father any longer, don’t you?” ‘‘He may be dead, so what would a hunt avail?” “He may be alive, 80, why should I give up the hunt?” Sharp’s face grew dark. ‘No, 1 won’t take the diamonds and lose my father!” cried the Jersey boy. **Then, that ends the business!” growled the villain. CHAPTER X. : TATSY HOLCOMB, “YES, sir, that ends the business,” repeated Simon Sharp, after a brief pause, and quietly rising, he crossed the room with the air of a resolute dpary Jerry looked after him but said nothing. If the rascal expected the boy to retract his words he was destined to disappointment and when he , id + .% - i ; ' 4 : : . . : aT [ : ° P ‘ | 4 : - he ‘ i “ ‘ - ¥ * , 4 - \ : _ aa ao Thy ue . ” ed pitF E * ' ge (ye Ma veg a Pr One mitit £ H Aad ww. a — > f- 4 . nes “ty > ; + oa 3 I~ ee” : Sok j ie . \eear ie TH -) rT ist 3 = - fwr pm the door he looked over his shoulder at erry. Instead of replying to the look, which he un- derstood very well, the boy glanced toward the window and left the man to himself, Presently Jerry heard the door open and when he looked again Simon Sharp had quietly stepped out, leaving him alone once more, and of course still a prisoner, ‘‘Tam now on the righ€ trail and no mis- take!” concluded Jerry. ‘‘I have seen Simon Sharp remove his mask and know him for one of the biggest rascals in New York.” He found that in going away the scamp had taken along the envelopes which had been ad- dressed, as well as the pen and ink, leaving him in fact nothing at all with which he might com- municate with the outside world. “Tf Ican’t get away from here without help I must find some way to let Fred know where I am,” continued the young Jerseyite. ‘* Simon Sharp is liable to come back at any time, or he may give me wide berth for some hours while he spins a web in another quarter. At any rate, I must go to work and not let grass grow under ge Sige @ waited more than half an hour, or, until he thought Simon Sharp had quitted the build- ing and then he tried to open the shutter which had been shut previous to his arrival; but he found this to be a great task and one beyond his strength, He was working at the window when he caught the sound of some one in the hall and he instantly desisted. Had Simon come back already? ; As Jerry turned from the window to listen near the door, he heard a voice and the sound sent a thrill to his brain. ‘*He’s a boy, for I saw Sharp bring him up here,” said the voice, which sounded like a woman’s, ‘‘ He knows I don’t like a hair on his head, andif he’s got the boy here ag’in’ his will, why, I'd just like to beat him.” Jerry was at the door in an instant, ‘*The door is locked,” said another voice which might belong to a younger person. The next moment there was the sound of keys and Jerry heard one move in the lock, ‘*My name isn’t Polly Ping if I don’t want to gct ahead of Simon Sharp,” accompanied the turning of the key. ‘‘Ittits the lock pretty welland— Ha! now I have it.” In an instant the door was pushed open and Jerry had to fall back quite suddenly to prevent being upset. “* Hey, boy?” cried a voice, *‘Here I am,” answered Jerry, presenting himself to two astonished women of middie age, ‘‘Look! I told you he had a boy cooped up in here,” exclaimed one of the pair, turning triumphantly to her companion. ‘‘ You didn’t come here because you really wanted to, did you, boy?” **T did not.” ** And you want out, eh?” “That I do very bad!” ** Well, ’'m Polly Ping, and I don’t like one hair that grows on Simon Sharp’s head. On the other hand, I'd like to pull ’em out, every one o’ them, Come along if you want out of this trap, for that’s just what it is, Where’s your bag- gage?” ** lve got none,” said Jerry, only too eager to quit the spot. In a little time he found himself on the out- side of Mr. Sharp’s door and the women con- ducted him into another part of the house where he was entertained by the unknown woman, while Polly Ping went below to see if the coast was Clear, Pretty soon Polly came back with a smile on her homely face, and ,announced that Simon Sharp was not to be seen; then Jerry, after thanking bis deliverers from the bottom of his heart for their services, went down the steps and bounded out into the street. ‘* Now look out, Mr. Simon Sharp!” cried _ he, ‘*T guess we understand each other now. You unmasked yourself a little too soon. Photo- graph Fred will open his eyes at my narrative, and I won’t keep away from him any longer than I can help,’ Jerry remembered the number of Photograph Fred’s abode and hastened in that direction. Once he stopped suddenly and felt his heart leap into his mouth, for there suddenly crossed his pas the tall figure of a man wbo startled him, @ was accompanied by a dudish individual much younger in looks, and Jerry thought that asper Paget had picked up a new acquaintance, But, fortunately, Mr. Paget did not see the boy, who let the pair goon while he continued the journey to Fred’s home, 4 — a He found Mrs. Paster sitting up for Fred, and when she saw Jerry her first Inquiry was about her boy. ‘“‘He went out like a cat,” explained the mother, ‘‘ I suppose an idea struck bim and off he went without saying when he would turn up again. He was looking for you, but now you’ve found yourself and he should come back once more,” Jerry told Mrs. Paster all about his adventures, and the two waited in vain for Fred, with the clock on the wall ticking off the minutes, which seemed to resolve themselves into hours of uncertainty. Jerry fell asleep in the chair at last, he had not had much sleep of late; and leaving bim there, the widow stole from the room and went down upon the street. After awhile the Jersey boy awoke witha start and had Mrs. Paster’s hand on bis arm in an anxious grip, There was fear on her face, “It’s morning and he’s not back!” cried the young detective’s mother. ‘ Jerry jumped from the chair with a cry. ‘* Why did you let me sleep so long?” he ex- claimed. “‘l might have been looking for Fred.” ‘* But you looked so tired ard slept so well where you were that I badn’t the heart to dis- turb you,” was. the reply. ‘‘The night is gone and no Fred.” ** To you think he has fallen into a trap of any kind?” ** I hope not, but from what you have told me about Simon Sharp, he isa real spider, ready to suck the blood of any victim. And of course the man called Jasper Paget is no better. Fred should have been here before this, and his ab- sence means something.” ‘* What are we to do?—warn the police?” **'That looks like the best thing to do, but it would almost force us to tell the secret of your hunt which Fred does not want disclosed. Let us hunt for him ourselves awhile. We'll go down and see Melly.” The Jersey boy acceded to this proposition, and a minuteafterward he and Mrs, Paster were on the street. Melly Noonan was found at home and her cheek blanched when she heard that a night had passed without bringing Photograph Fred home. She had not seen him since the pre- vious day, and when Jerry’s story had been told, she shared the fears of the anxious mother. Melly was talking, when a rap sounded on her door, and, on opening it, she was handed a card by a little girl whose appearance was unkempt and ‘‘ streety.” ‘* Please, miss, the young gentleman sent it up,” said the child, as Melly took the card, The newsgirl took the card and colored indig- nantly. ‘** Where is he?” she asked. ** Waitin’ for an answer below,” was the reply. ‘*You see how I amj annoyed,” remarked Melly, coming back to her visitors, ‘Here isa card sent up by a young dude who has been hovering about my stand for several weeks, He buys papers which he never reads, just to get a smile from me, and now he has the impudence to send up his card this early in the morning, I want you to get a look at him, Mr. Jerry. Go down-stairs and come back soon: 'ut, don’t for- get to photograph Mr. Holcomb on your mind,” Jerry went to the door, saying that he would like to see Melly’s dudish admirer, but no sooner had he stepped into the hall anda glanced down the steps than he drew back and sprung into the room, ‘* Why, that’s the man I saw with Jasper Pa- get last night!” he exclaimed. ‘“‘ They were talking in whispers on the street, and I have no doubt are hand in glove in some scheme,” Melly was surprised. ‘We know that Jasper Paget and Simon Sharp are playing the same game,” said she, ‘“‘and Tatsy Holcomb may know some of their secrets. I’ll have him come up. Just step into my bedroom and come out when I give the signal,” namoment Jerry Jump and Fred’s mother were tenants of Melly’s sleeping apartment while Melly told the little card-bearer who still waited, to tell the gentleman below to come up immediately. Pretty soon there were steps in the hallwa at the head of the flight and Melly, bardly able to keep from laughing—saw Tatsy Holcomb bowing and scraping before her, The young chap was delighted, and when he had expressed his pleasure several times, Melly led the conver- sation into a very important channel: ‘““You know a gentleman named Paget, do you not, Mr. Holcomb?” the newsgirl asked, ‘*‘Um—I—really, Miss Melly—” ,OOKS;TcCOmM + ari a i]