Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 716 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

+ — , - . —— = os -+-—+~ - ae —_— Tee ; . Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Still Hunt. ; i? ss wat! va - 4 , oe gy Ti me - ¢ The exclamation was in ap injured tone, and accompanied with a look of keen reproach. **Oh! I know,” he waived, * but it is my right to know, and I’m going to find out, too. Who bas had this money?” A look of settled firmness came into the wo- man’s eyes, and she answered: ‘*] will not tell you!” ** But you shall!” | “JT will not! When the money was bor- | rowed, it was upon the condition that you were not to ask whom it was for. I was to be respon- sible to you for it, and upon that understanding ou let me have it. Beyond the fact that it bas en in the hands of a lady, as you knew before, I shall tell you nothing.” ‘* Furies! dare you talk this way to me?” ** Crandal, it is not a question of daring or not daring; it is a point of honor between myself and a dear friend, and in accord with the under- standing we had when the money was asked for.” ** But, who is this friend? That is all I ask toknow. 1 can respect the secret as well as you.” **And you would have your wife break her word of honor, spoken in pledge? To say nothing of breaking your own part of the simple agreement!” ‘* Then you refuse to make the disclosure?” ‘*T ‘have been forced to refuse.” ‘There must be a deep reason forit. But, I will learn what it is, and then let me warn you—” ‘* How unreasonable you are! When this lady came to me to ask the favor, the loan of a thousand dollars, her face was flushed with shame at the humility, and my pity was in full sympathy for her. She would not have her name disclosed to you, and would not accept the money except on that condition. I put the matter before you, and you at once agreed. Now you would break your word of honor! For shame!” | The man cooled under that reproach, at last, and gave = ‘* Well, well, it is asking too much, I suppose,” he remarked. ‘But you have made me su sus- picious by your actions, that—” ‘* Tt is all your terrible jealousy, you dear old goosey,” the woman interrupted, flinging ber arms around him, ‘‘ The money jis again in your pocket, and there is no reason in the world why you should doubt me.” ‘*I know, love, but these mysterious transac- tions do not tend to increase my confidence any. And to say nothing of mysterious burglars in the house— Confound it! but that experience of the other night is enough to make a man of my hot temper go out of his head. Pity I didn’t kill the wretch!” CHAPTER IX. DICK’S HONOR TESTED. IN the mean time Deadwood Dick had made another move. : It was one he had bad in mind from the first, but which had seemed of minor importance, at the preliminary moves of the investigation. Whether it would amcunt to anything or not, he of course could not tell till it had been put to the test, But, be that as it might, it was a point in which he bad interest, The prince of all-around detectives still bad in mind wkat the old lawyer had told him,concern- ing the Roylan sisters, and their inability to agree upon the manner in which they should dis- pone of their propesty by will. Susan was for eaving the bulk of it toa Mrs, Pratson, And this was a woman, who, according to what Dick had gathered, bad no claim upon the sisters whatever. At any rate, that had been the way in which Pocebe had looked at it. Dick had the address of the woman, Mrs. Pratson, and upon leaving the jail on the last- mentioned occasion, he started out to find ber, When he reached the destination be found it was an humble home, in a part of the city in- habited by the poorer classes, The door was opened in response to bis ring, and a pleasant-faced woman of twenty-five was before him, ‘*Are you Mrs, Pratson, madam?” Dick in- quired. ‘“* That is my name, sir,” she answered. ‘* fs your husband at home?” ** No, sir.” ‘* He is at work, I suppose,” ** Yes; did you want to see him?” ‘Yes. But perhaps you can answer some uestions jast as well. By the way, what is his usiness?” ‘*He isacarpenter, sir. Will youstepin? If , iy OF ae, eT | it is really necessary I can go and fetch him, for he is not far away.” ‘* Yes, I will come in for a moment, if I may,” Dick accepted, stepping in and following ivto a plain but neat parlor, ‘‘ You need not send for him, however; it is not worth while,” Two little children had followed the woman into the hall, and now into the room, azd when she had placed a chair for the caller and taken a seat herself she took the younger of the chil- dren in her arms, and awaited to hear what the caller’s business might be, ‘*'You bave heard of the murder of Phoebe Roylan, of course,” Dick opened. The woman started, and a sudden paleness came upon her face, The mention of the crime evidently gave her a shock. ‘* Yes, I have heard of it,” she acknowledged, ‘*Is your husband in any way related to the Roylan family?” ‘* Not that 1 know of, sir. in fact,” “* Then it must be yourself.” **T do not know it, I am sure, can be so.” tf Do you know Susan Roylan the living sis- ter ‘* Yes, I know her, sir.” ‘* Are you well acquainted with her?” ‘IT think Icansay lam. She has been here a good many times,” ‘* And you have visited her.” ‘*No; I have never been there, vited me.” **Do you know what the nature of her interest in you is? I believe she thinks well of you.” ‘**f am sure I do not know. She has been very good to us, at times when my husband has been out of work, ThatisallI can say.” . ‘* Well, did you ever see the murdered sister?” ‘* No, sir.” ‘*Or Howard Crandford, who is under arrest for the crime?” ‘No, sir; never saw either of them,” “And all you know about them, then, is simply that which you bave stated concerning Susan?” ‘* That is all, sir.” ‘* But, how came she to have an interest in vou, in the first place?” “I donotknuw. It was once when Charles, my husband, was out of work, She called, said she had beard of our bad luck, and wanted to help us a little. We were in no position to refuse, and she assisted us liberally all that win- ter. ‘“* And from that time on, eh?” ** Yes; and perhaps before.” ** How was that?” ‘Charles has often ad work put into his hands that has come to him without his seeking, and he could never tell how it had come to him,” ‘* Then you have every reason to think well of Susan Roylan?” ‘Yes; you may be sure of that.” ®Dick bad evidently reached the end of his rope, here, and it was useless to remain any onger. : With some plausible excuse for his call, and the questions he had asked, he went away, as much puzzled as when he had come, What was this woman to Susac Roylan? he asked himself. The fact that shg had made her an object. of a charitable impulse, was not im- portant; but that she desired to leave a fortune to her, was, He could not answer the question, For the present, then, he was done, and would return to tbe office of the Kincarths. In due time he came out upon Kearney street, and was not long in reaching the destination in view upon the busy thoroughfare. Mounting the stairs, he was soon at the door of the office, and opening it, entered the railed inclosure within, There was Oliver Upp. the strange boy with the strange partiality for say- ing strange things, ready to greet him, At a glance Dick saw tbat both the Kincarths were at their desks, The boy acted as though he had never seen Dick before, Neither of the Kincarths looked up, except Samuel’s glancing with one eye, ‘What shall I say foryou?” asked the office boy, as solemnly as an owl, in his set form of question, ‘‘Ig Mr. Kincarth in?” Dick asked, purposely tosee what answer the lad would make this time, The question was needless, _ * Yes, sir; botb of him,” was the respouse, “Which one of him will you see, sir? bat shall I say: for you, sir? Mr, Samuel, sir? or Mr, Daniel?” ‘* By this time it was clear that Dick was I am sure he is not, I don’t think it She never in- 4 iF & ‘ : » ‘* ‘ a? : : o ere ih : ‘< < ASN SES ae ae ee IC: oN n going to get no recognition until it came about in the usual form, according to the rules of the office, of which he had already heard enough. ‘* Well, I want to see both of him,” he inform-~ ed the boy. ‘Just tell bim it is Mr. Bristol.” The boy was off like a shot, | Stopping upon a square in the carpet between the two desks, he spoke, “Sirs. Gentlemen. Mr, Bristol. To see re of you, sirs.” And he stopped short at that. Both the old gentlemen g'!anced up, took a survey at Dick, and in one voice both gave the usual direction. ** Admit him,” they said, ‘‘ and place a chair.” Dick detested all this nonsensical flummery, but it was according to office rules and regula- tions. ‘* Glad to see you, Mr, Bristol,” spoke Samuel, when Dick had entered and takena seat. And he spoke in the low, guarded tone, another rule of the office, as we have already seen, ‘* But [ notice your degree of gladness doesn’t do away with your stiff and formal way of ad- mitting me,” Dick suggested. ‘‘ It is like work- ing one’s way into a lodge-room, to get inside that railing.” The gentlemen smiled, : ‘The rules of the office,” explained Daniel. ‘Tt will be the same at your hundredth call, if you come so many times. No chance for office oys to suspect and magnify, and possibly tat- tle; and less chance for young ears to overhear and carry tales out of school. See?” Dick admitted that he saw. ‘* Well, and what is it?” asked Samuel. ‘‘T have a clew, and thought I would drop in and report, as 1 am at leisure for the time being.” ‘* At leisure! Then have you solved the rid- dle? But, no, since you speak of only a clew, What is it you mean?” ‘“ Some cases don’t admit of being pushed,” responded Dick. ‘*This is one of them. I have come to tell you that the outlook for Crandford is dubious.” ‘Ha! you think it is, eh?” ‘¢T must admit that Ido, It looks dark,” ‘‘ What bave you done? What have you dis- covered?” ‘‘T have visited the scene of the crime, and have interviewed several persons, There is no doubt in my mind that Crandford came out of that house at two o’clock on the morning of the murder,” ‘‘ Then you think that night watchman’s evi- dence will stand?” ‘*T do, in spite of everything.” ‘That is bad. We hoped we would be able te break that.” . ‘‘T don’t know how you are going to do it, gentlemen,” : ‘“Why, we'll tell you,” whispered Daniel; ‘‘ we'll have an alibi set up, and one that can’t be broken down.” ““You are welcome to do that, if you can,” returned Dick. ‘ But, we want you to furnish us with the right scheme,” explained Samuel, 1], do that,” said Dick, coldly, “if it agrees with the facts of the case, but nototherwise. If I find that young man is guilty, my evidence wiil go toward his conviction, that’s flat.” The two lawyers exchanged a glance. ‘This will never do,” whispered Samuel, ‘He must be saved if possible, You must work for him, Mr. Bristol.” ‘* Just What I am trying to do,” Dick assured, ‘‘but so far the outlook is not promising. If he was in that house at two o’clock, how are we going to prove that be did not Ho the crime?” ‘But, he was not there,” urged Daniel. ‘We will fix Bristol,” , ‘* He was there!” insisted Dick, ‘and nothing but false testimony will do away with the fact. And you won’t get any false testimony out of me, Now, did he do the assassin’s work, or did he not? That is the question,” that part of it ourselves, Mr. ns CHAPTER X. ANOTHER HUNDRED ADVANCED, THE lawyers seemed to be puzzled over this, _ It looked as though they bad expec ‘eater help from the detective than they were likely to get. It was plain he would not aid them in any crooked work toward saving their client, and if was not | any alibi thet was not based upon truth, And that was just thesituation, They had Dick’s honor to the test, as it were, and found out wid § it was of the pura metal. And / : / : - *! = oe ' , ‘ o : . a v1 . 2 ‘ . M » Re ve ab, ys “fig - 93 4 ‘ V4 ra * | Se” J (i. 5" * sak t .NPadeien , , i | * +a PF - ne 7 in ; _ : F I y Y. \ a yp _ | | la X a \ — | a ~~ comicbook: » * , <A’. a? = ' a robable that he would let them offer put ] ' Ps if >. i> >» Sh ott if fe ee OY eS > ne ‘ « . =A ‘ ae A . - s ~, . * - - -——<— . rh et ~ - oa = Ss - : _ — * ‘ ‘on » i nee ee ed ~ ‘ x ri ¥ wy +. os r ' ale + ; * ce . vie ae bs ea e at ey oe m= *y 7 a * iP] * i ? ‘ ae m2 ; : ~- ‘ig > Vs . Ge "ey ve