Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 716 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

* at LAR oo | pit ara ate as further than you have already one ‘*T do. I will not utter another word regard- ing the case,” *‘Tben I must take other steps, I will have at this woman tospeak, She just left your cell. ' At this the prisoner half-sprung up. _. “Has that woman been detained?’ he gasped, ' “* She will not be lost sigbt of,” assured Dick. Then all is lost! Fool that she was to come here,” "Dick congratulated himself upon the fact that Kodak Kate was into the case with him. Upon this woman, whoever she might prove to be, he believed, hinged the whole scheme. And Kodak Kate would be likely to learn some- thing about her before she gave up the task that bad been given her, The prisouer had sunk down upon the stool, and let his head fall upon his hands, ‘*’'You may as well tell me everything,” Dick observed. “It will be only a question of time when I shall get at the truth, anyhow.” **See here, Deadwood Dick,” and the fellow looked up, ‘‘T’ll tell you this: I know nothing about the murder of Phoebe Roylan. Believe that or not, just as you see fit, But, if you go op upon the trail you have set out upon, you are going tohang me, If you have any regard for a poor devil in my fix, if you can take my word that I am innocent, draw out and do not let the police know anything about this woman.” ** An. innocent man would have no such fears as that,” declared Dick. ‘*Then you believe me guilty. Very well, go on, and some day you may find out that I have not lied to you.” ‘*Is it possible, then, that this woman is the guilty one?” questioned Dick. He was pushing the case while the fire was up. ** By heavens, no /” wasthecry. ‘She is as innocent as an angel!” ‘You may have to speak, to save her from ae your place here, my friend.” ‘** No fear of that,” with a sad smile. ‘She is safe; but, if you go on, I tell you you will hang me, as sure as I live this minute. Drop the case, and spare me, There may be a ghost of a chance for me, if you will,” ‘*T will not drop it. Thatis not Richard M, Bristol’s style, I rather think it is the woman you are concerned for, nore than for yourself. e shall see, no doubt.” ‘*'You won’t take my word. Moa well; I can say no more. The womanis safe, I tell you that candidly. Iam the onein danger, Goon, if you are determined, but it may sometime come to you that you have been the means of hanging an innocent man,” ‘** Your situation can’t be made any worse than it is, 1 fancy,” reminded Dick. ‘‘If you are innocent, as you maintain, something ma come to light that will save you. Anyhow, am not going to give the case up,” ** Then I have no more to say.” **’'You won’t tell me who this woman is?” ‘I will not.” ’ ‘** Nor what her interest is in you?” ee ** Nor how she came by this money?” ‘*How do I know that the money has been in ber possession at all? I believe you are trying to bluff me on the weakest kind of a hand, Dead- wood Dick,” , ‘*“You are welcome to entertain that idea. But I see there is no use talking to you. You are as determined asa bulldog, and had rather hang than try to save yourself, it appears,” “| have told you thatit is no use for me to try. The circumstantial evidence has closed around me with such power that the chain can- not be broken.” ** Nonsense! You have only to tell where you were at the time the crime must have been done,” | ‘““And that I will not do, though I swing as high as Haman!” “That settles it, No use wasting any more time with you. I'll get at the facts, though, without your help.” — Dick took his leave to make other moves, at once, The scent was now warm; he hoped soon to make it hot. He had learned the address of the night watch- man who bad given such damaging testimony against the yonng man, and wan to see him to form an Opinion of his character dy personal contact, so he made bis way direct to his place of residence. | He found the man at home, and up and _ awake, having not yet retired for his daytime me. | 6 was a man of forty or so,a plain but EEE LGL«L&LL«&«L«S«&«&«&; S«;C«s « Cll A ———————UUIE—_AI—E—E——A—EE——E—E———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— nd worthy looking fellow, with every appearance of sobriety and honesty. ‘“*T have ealled to ask a question or two re- garding that Roylan affair,” Dick explained, ** And it is a mess that I wish I’d never know- ed anything about,” the man declared forcibly. “Why do you say that, my man?’ Dick asked. ‘** Because, hang me if I don’t feel sorry for young Crandford.” ‘* But he is not deserving of pity, for there can’t be any doubt about his being the murderer.” ‘** That is the way it looks, I know. Of course he must be guilty.’ ‘* You know him well, then?” ‘Yes, perfectly well.” ‘* And there’s no chance for a mistake about the man you saw coming out of the house?” ‘* Not a ghost of a chance. I wish there was, for I’ve nothin’ against Howard Crandford, and would like to see him get clear.” ** How came you to testify against him?” ‘*T was called. It was knowed that I was watchman at the store across the way, and the crowner sent for me,” ‘Then you didn’t go of your own will, eb?” ‘*No; and I don’t believe I would, either. But when I was in for it, why of course I had to tell the truth,” ‘* And what did youtell? Kindly give me the fact of what you know and of what you told at the inquest.” ‘‘Itis soon done. I had stepped out on the street, in front of the store, right opposite the house where the crime was committed. It was about ten o’clock, It was three or four minutes after two when I went into the store a little while afterward. ‘While I was there, I looked across the way and saw a man coming out at the front door, very cautiously, Thinking it might be a robber, I started across the street, but when I was nearer, and the fellow was coming down the steps, I saw who it was and turned back,” ‘¢ And there was no chance whatever for you to be mistaken?” ‘‘No, most positively. My eyes do not fool me,” 3 a your evidence, sir, the poor devil will probably be hanged.” ‘*T can’t help it; I have spoken the truth, and that only. I can’t lie about it, and l wouldn't, either.” ‘* But the young man himself declares that he was notin the house, and did not come out at that time. Asserts positively that you must be mistaken,” ‘‘ You have heard my statement, sir. Inquire about me, and you will find that I am a man of truth. What I have said must stand, because it is the truth, and I will not change it to a lie, I positively saw Howard Crandford coming out of that bouse at two o’clock in the morning, the night of the crime,” here was nothing more to be said, so Dick thanked the man and took his leave, puzzling his mind with the different points. It did not seem a point of doubt, now, that the accused man bad been in the house at an un- usual hour, on the nigbt of the crime. The wit- ness evidently was candid in what he said. That being the case, Crandford must be the mur- derer. CHAPTER VII. KODAK KATE’S BRILLIANT PLAY, MEANWHILE what of Kodzck Kate? Giving the vailed woman a little start, she had gone after her with the determination not to lose sight of her. ‘he unknown stepped out at a gait which proved that she was not by any means an old rson, and the shadower found that it was go ing to tax her own speed to keep up with tbe shadowed. The trail was a plain one, 80 to speak, and one easy to follow, and the direction lay toward a semi-aristocratic quarter of the city, Block after block was passed, the vailed wo- man keeping up the same pace, until one of the business thoroughfares was reached, Here she slackened her pace a little, but made no stop until suddeuly she turned and entered a millinery store. Determined not to lose sight of her, Kodak Kate entered the same store as soon as sbe came to its doors, and in the rear of the long sbop she saw her suspect, with the heavy vail thrown a little aside, speaking toa woman whom Kate knew to be at the head of the establishment, Without appearing to be paying any notice to her, Kate approached a ribbon counter and began examining samples, finally making asmall purchase, ‘pause to exchange a word with the servant, un- — ’ While she was busy there, she noticed that the vailed woman passed bebind the rear end of the counters, into a sort of workshop, and from that into another apartment that was curtained off, and which Kate knew to be a dressing-room. Having made ber simple purchase, Kate as talked ‘‘ hats” with the saleswoman while she nt waited for the reappearance of the woman ip is black. a Finally the curtains parted, and a woman f came out, a bandsome, dashing woman, richly vy: dressed. 1 At first Kate did not believe it could be the x person she had seen to enter. Bvt When the woman stopped again, to speak to tie the head of the establishment, however, she } leaned over the glass case precisely as the vailed ty woman had done, th This made the camera expert alert in an in- eu, stant, and when the woman took her leave and pat started toward the doors, Kate took a good look at her dress and recognized it. Trust a woman (o pay attention to dress, every IK time! Thatit was the woman who had entered | 1p the store in disguise, the able little detective was now positive. ! When tht woman was near enough, walking ry with stiff, aristocratic step, her eyes upon tke at door and {noticing no one, was Kate's oppor- tunity. She had ber camera with her—was seldom without it—carrying it by its strap over her shoulder, yet hidden under her jacket at ber left side, She touched it with her hand, there was scarcely an audible click, and she had ‘‘ bagged ” a picture! And this, too, without pausing in her idle talk | with the saleswoman upon the ponderous sub- ject— Hats.” When the woman had passed out, the little detective ended her conversation and followed after her. Now the pace was leisurely and dignified, like that of a lady out merely for a little shopping exercise. Kate followed, and at last had shadowed the woman to her destination. She entered a house in the aristocratic limits and Kate, who had seen her ring the bell, and | enter immediately when the door was opened, concluded that it was her home. A person calling, she reasoned, would have to ess in an exceptional case. In this case there had been no such pause; the woman had stepped right in the moment the door swung oper. he alert little ‘‘Snap Shot” noted street and number, and then came the inquiry, what the next move should be, Her work would scarcely meet the We of Deadwood Dick, she believed, unless she learned who this woman was. But, how was she to accomplish that¢ It was at first a difficult problem, but an idea was s00n. coined. Advancing to the house, she mounted the steps and rung the bell. The door was soon opened by a trim-looking girl in white apron and smart se ‘* Will you kindly tell me who lives here?” Kate asked. ** Mr, Crandal Ingerslee,” was the answer, “Then I have guessed the right number, it seems,” Kate observed, ‘‘Is Mrs. Ingerslee at home?” | ‘* She is,” was the response. ‘* Will you tell her that a young woman de- sires to see her?” | ‘* What name is it, if you please?” “Tell the lady that I thought it best not to mention my name. She will very likely under- stand,” “Very well, 2 a - - r — oe gee o——_- ” : __ ~~ ae, a Be seated here, please, and I | will carry your message to her at once.” And : ze indicating a reception chair in the hall, the gir me 145 went up stairs. | hi. In a few moments she was back. ea! Arai ‘‘T will show you into this room,” she said. as ‘Mrs, Ingerelee bas been out, and will come = down as soon as she changes her gown.” Ps From this bit of detail Kate learned one thing—that the woman she had shadowed was Pe a Mrs, Ingerslee, Kate stepped into the room and waited, and after a little time the door opened and the wo- if n came in, , Is was, in truth, the same one Kate had shad- owed, and her name was now positively ascer— aa. tained, Re Ml This was one point, even if she gained n® others, t IR vine Ve he At first Kate did not speak, wanting to seeif the woman would know ber by her recent por~ trait in all the papers, Ea