Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 716 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

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But, let us walk on together, and compare notes, This promises to be a big piece of work, if lam any judge.” CHAPTER V. THE INTEREST DOUBLED. DIcK was glad of the chance meeting with his Yate ally. Kate had proved her ability by her work upon the other case, and Dick was glad enough to have her for his ‘*‘ pard” again, ‘‘ How came you to get upon the case?” Dick asked. ‘* Through the notoriety the papers gave me regarding that other affair,” was the answer, ‘The same here, too, But, for whom are you working? Come, let us get an understanding, and then we’ll forge ahead with cur ideas,” ‘** It-is a rather strange affair, my pert in it, Dick, I received a note this morning in a wo- man’s hand, with a hundred dollars inclosed, The mote requested me to go at work immediately upon the case, trying to establish the innocence | of Howard Crandford,” Ne ; a “a —— = . —_ 4 . , . —_ oo A ‘ ra Lie ‘ a or, 3 ai a Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Still Hunt. Re-entering the bank, Dick cast his eye about to find the man Gilroy, who had supplied the information he sought before, and seeing him at his post, called bis attention, ‘* Pardon me,” be said, ** but will it be possi- ble for me to learn what kind of money was paid out to Phoebe Roylan the other day?” The man turned away to speak to the teller, who had probably handled the money, and after a little talk with him, returned and announced: ‘*The payment was made in twelve new one hundred-dollar bills, sir.” Dick thanked him, and he and Kate went out and away, ‘* The case is evoluting,” Dick observed, ‘* It is possible, but this is only a supposition, you know—possible that this bill is one of the twelve the murdered woman drew from the bank on the day before her death !” ‘* Tt may be, but it don’t seem probable. Do you know, Dick, it seems to me that we have taken hold of a case this time that is going to baffle us.” ‘Tt sha’n’tif I can belp it, be sure of that. But, what were you going to do next? What plan had you in mind when you caught sight of me? ‘Why, I thought I would go to the jail and see the prisoner, and from there go to the office of the Kincarths, to see if they could enlighten me any in regard to the note.” ‘* [approve of your going to the jail, but not of your visit to the office of the lawyers, It will do no harm to keep this point out of their grasp for the time being.” ‘And what ought I to say to Mr. Crand- ford?” | ‘We want to learn what woman has an ipter- est in him,” ‘*'Yes; andit must be got around in a nice “And is that all you know about it? To | way, or he may baffle us on the important whom were you directed to report? It looks strange, to say the least.” ** And it is as strange as it looks, too. But, it is all right,so far asIlam concerned, I had nothing to do, so took right hold. Iam to re- rt to the young man’s lawyers if I find any- bing favorable to bis case.” ‘* And there was no signature to that letter?” “Tt was signed ‘ A Friend in Secret.’” ** Will you let me see it?” ‘* Of course.” Kate thrust ber hand into an ‘inner pocket of the jaunty jacket she wore, and brought forth the note, which Dick took and read eagerly. The writing was good, and the language fault- less, But there was something about the writing that ey gees an attempt at disguise, . ‘It had a backhand slant, and the same letters in different words and lines were differently formed. The message was in almost as few words as Kate had stated it. ‘There is a woman in the case, as usual,” Dick observed. ‘‘ Yes, as there always is,” assented Kate, ** Eve is always on hand, where Adam is found.” ** Aud you have no idea where this letter came from, eh? No suspicion as to who this unknown muy be? We ougbt to find out, if possible.” ‘* Haven’t the slightest idea,” _ “Tt is an ordinary letter, in ali appearances.” ‘Nothing more. [t has probably been dropped into a post-box, and the risk of its reaching me assumed,” ** But the money, what kind was it?” + * It was a new hundred-dollar bill.” **On what bank?” ‘ She named the one Dick bad just visited, ‘** | have just come from there,” Dick informed her, ** And so have I!” ‘* We must have been there very nearly at the same time. 1 did not notice you, when I came out, ‘*T may have been standing at the teller’s win- I was asking about the bill. Thought 1 might learn to whom it bad been paid out, as 4 there was not a crease in it except where it had been folded to put it in the letter.” ‘* And could they tel! you anything?” ‘* Nothing; only that it had been paid out ; 4 a) within two days.” y a re “eo .< Re + oe a + ; 4 \ a | . ‘ = explaivin _ the bank, and Kodak K little distance ahead __* How could they be so sure about that?” | “The bills had been in their hands no longer | ._ “Tsee, But, let’s go back there immediately, _I have another point now to investigate.” They turned and retraced their steps, Dick the errand that had taken him to t ate telling him bow she had thought she recognized him, seeing bim a of ber when she came out upon the street, and had hastened forward to make sure, « _ . 4 Th A : ee point,” ‘* Would you be willing to let me take the note and money, and visit bim in your stead?” ‘ 2 Why, certainly; and be glad to let you do it. “hat is what I will do, then. Let’s go to- gether, and you can stand just outside the cell and listen to what is said,” Their steps were bent in the direction of the jail, at once, and ina little time they were there, * When they reached the jail they met a vailed woman just coming out. She was in deepest mourning, and it was impossible to see anything of her face, ‘* What woman was that?” Dick immediately asked of the jailer, or at any rate the man who had admitted bim before. ‘**{ give it up,” was the answer. ‘‘She’s been in to see your man Crandford, I didn’t geta look at her face.” Dick had turned to his brave little ally, ‘Your mysterious correspondent, for a hasty guess,” he quickly whispered. ‘* As likely as not you are right. Shall I fol- low her, and see what comes of it?” ‘Certainly! and don’t let her throw you off, I'll be at your home this evening at eight.” Kate was off; the vailed woman was under surveillance, Dick expressed his desire to see the prisoner ain, and was admitted to the cell. e found the young man with the same scowl upon his face that he bad noticed upoo his first visit, but it vanished when he looked up. “ Back again?” he queried. ** As you see,” answered Dick. ‘** Weill, what have you accomplished?” ‘* More than you may suppose,” Dick hinted. The prisoner looked at him questioningly, even eagerly. _ ** Well, tell me what it is,” he requested. “I can stand it.” / ‘First tell me how the police accounted for that blood ypen your sleeve, I want to know what they thought about that.” ‘* Why, they set forth the idea that I had got it from the knife, after the deed was done, They argued that it hadn’t come there in any other way.” a4 I ie bee they must take some such view of it. Ihavefound that it was impossible for the blood” to have spurted upon you, for it did not any more than stain the outer quilt.” “That was the way they explained it,” ‘ **And you stil] assert that it was not the blood of the murdered woman at ali, do you?” ‘* T still swear that it was not. Iam as inno- cent of the crime as you are, Ido not know anything whatever about it. Let this be final upon that point,” “All right, I will mention itno more, And now I’l tell you something. On the day before \ yesterday Phoebe Roylan drew twelve hundred dollars out of the bank.” Did the prisoner give a start? or did Dick only imagine it? ‘* Well, proceed,” the young man urged, as Dick paused. ‘* What follows that?” ‘* ‘You seemed to start when I mentioned it.” ‘Did 17 Well, maybe I did.” ** Why should you?” ‘“‘T was thinking how she fibbed to me thaf night. I wanted a loan, as is well known, but she said she hadn’t the amount.” ‘*T see; and the fact that ycu wanted money, and the fact that she had that day taken money out of tbe bank, and no doubt had it in the house, tells against you. 1 suppose you can see that.’ ‘*' Yes: but go on!” ‘‘ Well, that money was taken by some one; I will not venture to guess by whom. But, I know where it went to!” The prisoner’s eyes fairly burned, but be held control over bis features. ‘Then you have made a step forward in the case,” he remarked. ‘‘ But where did it go to? I am anxious to hear more about it.” ** It passed into the hands of a woman,” Dick asserted, eying the man keenly. ‘Into the hands of a woman in whom you have an in- terest, a more than common interest, I have one of the bills in my possession now. Here it is, CHAPTER VI. POSITIVE EVIDENCE, TuIs time the fellow gave a start that was not to be doubted. ‘*'You are a very fiend at detective work!” he | cried. ‘* How did you get hold of this?” This exclamation scored for Dick a big point, and one that he stored away todraw upon at the proper time, It looked daiker for Howard Crandford, Dick had aimed well, and the blow had struck home, He was coming at something, though of course he could not foresee whatit/ would prove to be. He was more than half inclined to think the police had made no mistake, He smiled at the prisoner, baffling him. ‘* Fortune seems to have favored me,” he re- turned. ‘I have struck oil much sooner than I ex I should.” ‘ But, what have you learned?” was demanded. ‘** Tf you are working in my interest, as you say, let me know what points you have gained,” ‘* The points may not be at all favorable to you, in which case you might not relish the dis- closures,” The reader will see that Dick was jaf ba, ‘*bluff” game. He of course did not really know that this bill he bad io band was one of the twelve that bad been in the possession of the murdered woman; but that was something the prisoner could not know. He could only see the matter in the Jight in which Dick preserted it, and in no other, and from that Dick was trying to gain further ground. ‘*T don’t care whether they are or not,” was the response. ‘+ You seem inclined to take your situation in good spirit, One would not imagine that the rope is as good as around your neck,” ‘Why not that way as well as any other? I am in for it, and all tbe proof is against me. What am I going to do about it? I cculdn’t clear myself if I would, so I may as well take it easy.” ‘*Do you really think you will hang for this crime?” " ‘*T haven’t much hope of escape from that fate. | You don’t give me any hope, that is cer- tain. ‘** Because I can’t, But, you bave a friend who is working for you, png to do what she can. [mean the woman from whom this bill was obtained.” ‘Tf I have any friends,” was the evasive re- sponse, ‘* they may do memore harm than good, ou claim to be my friend, and yet you as much as tell me that | killed my aunt to get this money.” : “ T only tell you how it looks, And now, for your own sake, I want you to take me into your confidence and make a clean breast of the whole thing. You are innocent, you say; tell me where you were, and what doing, about the time this awful murder was done,” ‘““Can’t do it; no use your u ite, Go ahead with your work, If you add the evi- dence against me, 1 can’t help it. If you can clear me, then you are a better man than I think vou are, and I'll think you beat the ghost of Vidocq at your calling,” “Then you sheqiutely refuse to give me any . . . . ‘ ° seis 4 odyl / c P » oS ee ° . ~s ~ Oe ~~? as * - bf a ’ Ase Lae I1CDOOKS.<¢ . < | = | \ *\ : y | a. i. ‘ i = “'* = = is a \ — e 3