Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 717 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 Flippy Jim passed on without losiog time, and soon reached the door of Chesligton’s office. There he paused and hstened for some time, with the alleged object of making sure no one was within. Fenton had chance more than ever to wonder if Jim was trustworthy, but it was too late to turn back, turn back, The rounder suddenly stood erect. ‘** All seems serene, your Highness!” he ob- served, ‘* We will now pass the portals of the tiger’s den, an’ proceed ter stick pins in the fero- cious beast’s royal sides, Selah!” He opened the door. Producing a match he lighted the gas; the room had no occupant save themselves, Randolph looked around eagerly. At last he was on the scene of Cheslington’s secrets, some- thing that had agitated his mind almost con- stantly since he imperfectly overheard that con- versation from the fire-escape. First view of the place, however, was somewhat di<appointing ; no great secrets sprung into view at the opening of the area to view—it was like the office of some bonest business man. Flippy Jim relocked the door, and then pushed back the top of the desk, ‘* Here we be!” he remarked, cheerfully. Fenton looked anxiously at the neatly arrang- ed papers, of which there was a generous supply. ‘* An’ there’s the secrets,” continued the old rounder. ‘‘ We can’t expect nothin’ but w’ot the apers tell, an’ I hope a good ’eal from’em. I’ve n a poor man all my life, an’ old age is gittin’ me in its clutches, Now or never is my time ter fill my pockets with honest metal. Go for the papers, Peter; go fer them!” andol ph took out a document at random, It was a single sheet of paper, partially covered ke words scrawled in pencil, He read as fol- ows: * B. Q. C. dropping. Sell at once! D. holds fast and booms his stock. Evidently intends to force things. Being well backed, is likely to succeed. Should say, buy L. A. 5 as much as possible. ‘* Wy Cu Cor. Mem.” Many readers would have found tbis a hope- less jumble. Notso Randolph Fenton. He had read tbat message before—or, rather, one pre- cisely likeit, It was a telegram which had been received in Colonel Andrew Fenton’s private office, less than a week before, It had come from a@ corresponding member of a syndicate to which the colonel belonged, and, on the strength of it, the elder Fenton had speculated heavily—specu- lated and lost, The young man stood staring at the paper, actually startled by the discovery, until Flippy Jim’s voice broke the silence, ** W’ot does he say?” Rando'ph aroused, Hehad been partially pre- pared for such discoveries, and, though scarcely able to credit his good fortune, managed to rally and realize that the rounder must not be let into the secret. He read the message aloud, ** W’ot in p’izon does et mean?” Jim demanded. ** Et’s all wuss than Choctaw !” There was nothing obscure to it as far as Jim’s companion was concerned. The abbreviations were all well known in the Fenton office; he had been accustomed to them for years, He replied: ‘*T see no key to it, here.” **Drat the luck! I don’t see how they make use 0’ sech rubbish, nor where they got it,” Randolph could have echoed the last part of the statement. The message was there, but where had the conspirators obtained it? CHAPTER XIV. IN THE DEATH-ROOM, “‘ TACKLE the next!” Flippy Jim suggested. Randolph obeyed, and found a paper similar to the first; one, too, which he as readily récog- nized, It bad been received in Colonel Fenton’s Office; its advice had been acted upon as far as the attempt went, but some one had been just ahead of the colonel, and had reaped the benefit, Investigation showed that each and every aper in that pigeon-hole was of like nature, here lay the secret of Fenton’s mysterious losses—the secret as far as penetrated; but the greatest puzzleof all still remained: How had Cheslington obtained copies of private telegrams, and, obtained them, too,*before they reached the colonel? ‘“* This is all rot!” declared Flippy Jim, in dis- gust. ‘‘ W’ot do we know about ‘B 2C drop- ping,’ ‘J N6rising,’ ‘5 7 steady,’ an’ all that rubbish? Grapple with dockymunts in some other hole, an’ see what they say.” Randolph was not reluctant, and the search went on, Hesat at the desk like-one in his - ae ‘¥ i? ‘ cae . § ral tv nan Ss he 7 ay + é ia P ald ~ - od Ses eee s eee aes eae! Oe > pint 4 4 vg ie & e “ i oe Aa . a ~ oe : aah oa A itr tia > te Dy iat eee Seep wde Bd 6. i Rt ee sili’ h po by : 7 7 rn". . 7 \ , . aay ¢ i hk ’ \ d + own Office, soing over paper after paper, while the rounder stood beside him. Jim never before had regretted the lack of education as he did then. The enigmatical nature of the papers left him no ray of light, and inability to read com- pelled him to act a passive part; he could do no more than listen. Now and then he looked searchingly at his ally, troubled with the fear that he might be the object of deception, but could neither prove nor disprove his doubts, Oneconsolation alone remained; he had brought a flask of whisky, from which he frequently drew encouragement, If the younger man had a monopoly as a reader, Jim was similarly situated as to the liquor; Randolph declined to share Jim’s folly. Further important discoveries were scarce, There were papers showing that the conspirators bad prvfited by the knowledge dishonestly gained, and memoranda of numerous transac- tions, but not a word which would throw light on the still dark points, Also, there were many papers in regard to horse - racing matters, whick indicated brisk business in that line, Flippy Jim grew disgusted. ** Say, do you understand all this rubbish?” he demanded, at last. ‘* How can I guess the ciphers?” ** 'That’s the p’int.” ** Possibly [ could find some one who would be able to guess what it means,” ‘It's worth tryin’; but, say! do you s’pose all the rest o’ the papers is like them?” ‘* Looks that way,” ‘* Then le’s clear out!” ** Are you discouraged?” ‘** Dead discouraged! I’ve got all the ‘2 B9,’ an’‘G C 3 ])’ that I want; I hev, by gravy! Ef there’s any daylight ter be got by an expert out o’ the papers, it’s jest ez wal ter gobblea fistful an’ take away, as ter go over another bushel, an’ only git‘2 FOOLS’ ter reward us, which same cipher is mine, an means ‘ 'T'wo Fools!’ Them is me!” ‘* Perhaps you are right, The utter absence of letters, and other direct evidence, goes to show that Cheslington was too shrewd to pre- serve anything which would betray him. He has done his secret business—” ‘* Dishonest, too, Pll bet my head!” ‘* A safe wager, [ think. Anyhow, he’s done his business and left no sign,” Randolph put the desk to rights as far as possible, but retained enough, of the papers to satisfy bis desires. He was resolved to take them to Police Headquarters, and let the detec- tives there solve the rest of the mystery. Ashe rose from the chair he noticed a new circumstance, ‘¢ Where does all this smoke come from?’ he asked. ‘* Dunno,” Jim answered. **The room i3 full of it.” ‘Yes; tickles my noses,” ‘© Well, it’s not our affair.” The young man reclosed the desk, and then they turned to leave. Flippy Jim unlocked the door and essayed to open it—it did not respond readily. ‘* Sticks!” he remarked, and jerked at the knob, without success. “ Thats odd,” commented Randolph. ‘ Let me see!” He first tried the key and made sure the bo't was turned back, and then pulled at the knob, The door was fast, “What kind of a ding-dasted thing is it?” Jim demanded, ‘*Can’t imagine why it should act so. Let me have a heave at it!” He gave another jerk which produced effect, but not in the way be desired. He snddenly went over on his back, and scrambled to his feet holding the knob in his band; it had been torn from the door, ‘*Hannab Isaac!” he ejaculated. we ter get out now ?” ‘We must use the window. It opens out on the fire-escape, and by means of that, we can gain the wash-room easily. The only trouble is, the broken knob will reveal the fact that in- truders bave been here.” lt was not the only trouble, as he found to his sorrow. iron shutters were on the window, and when they tried to open them they found the shutters immovable, If Mosquito Jack bad been present he would have found in this fact a reminder of his experience at Cheslington’s lodging-bouse, for when means of unfastening bara were looked for, the effort ended in ailure, ‘¢ How are ‘* Darned ef we ain’t prisoners!” Flippy Jim ejaculated. **T don’t understand this,” Randolph admitted, Mosquito Jack, the Hustler Gamin, with a troubled air. ‘It is not strange the window should be fastened, but why does this door, through which we entered so readily, baffle us now?” ‘‘Say, you don’t s’pose we're in a trap, do rer?’ a If the door is fastened on the other side, it did not fasten itself,” ‘*T b’lieve it is fastened.” ‘‘Then we have enemies in this building, who have trapped us. What will they do next? Perhaps, even now, they aresummoning enough of their gang to set upon and overpower us!” The idea alarmed Flippy Jim, and he began to wring his hands and lament in husky tones. If he had ever been a bero that noble quality had been consumed by the fiery waves of alco- hol with which bis stomach so long had been in- sulted, and the quality did not show, then, He could act the yelping cur, but not the aggres- sive mastiff. He soon had fresh cause for alarm, ‘* Jim,” Randolph exclaimed, ‘* do you notice how thick the smoke is getting here?” ‘*'Yes; [ see it.” ‘‘Tt does not come from any ordinary cause. As the window is closed it cannot drift iv bere and an ordinary fire in this building ought not tosend smoke around in this shape. Can it be the place 1s on fire!” The old rounder’s red face grew pale. ‘‘On fire!” be gasped. ‘‘Ob! ob!|—they hev found us, shut us in, an’ now set fire ter the buildin’! They’re goin’ ter burn us alive! We are helpless, an’ they kin doit. I hear the flames a-crackin’ now! We are dead men! Ob! oh! oh |” He danced wildly about and his voice rose in a screech which would have been laughable at any other time; whisky had spoiled bis voice, and it was far from musical, He ran to the door suddenly and began to hammer on it with his fists, ‘‘Lemme out!” he screeched. ‘I ain’t done nothin’, I ain’t; ’twas this other feller with me, I ain’t fit ter die, an’ fire will kill me quick. Lemme out! V’m vurpin’ up! Ob! oh! oh!” ‘Be silent, coward!” commanded Randolph, sharply, dragging bim back from the door, “You can do nothing by appealing to men who have doomed us to death. If snch men actually are there, pleadings are useless; if we are in er- ror in supposing such a thing, we may be able to escape. Come! let us together fling ourselves against the door, aud demolish it!” ; t was not easy to get Flippy Jim in condi- tion to belp in this direction, but he finally ral- lied a little. The attempt was a failure, how- ever; the door withstood all of their attacks without showing signs of ;weakness, The situation was growing serious, for smoke had gatbered in the room until breatbing was a matter of difficulty, This accumulation puzzled Fenton until be saw it was all entering at one point, and investigation revealed an open regis- ter there, from which the smoke was pouring. Worse than this, he found it was out of order, and could not be sbut off. ‘‘ We must stop it, or smother!” he exclaimed. ‘You said you could bear the crackling of fire. I hear nothing of the kind, and it may be all the fire is in an imperfect furnaee, which sends up smoke, as well as heat. Here! Help me with this carpet, and we will see if anything can be done.” The carpet was quickly torn up and banked against the register, but the pian was not wholly successful. The rapid influx of smoke was checked, but more or less constantly sifted in, adding to the quantity already there, Flippy Jim coughed and sneezed, and fell to weeping in an absurd fashion, ‘We are dead men!” he asserted. “Ob! I know we are, an’ we ain’t fit ter die. We came bere as burglars—” ‘‘ Perhaps you did, but not I “An’ that’s an awful vrime, We sha’n’t never be forgive, an’ now we’ve gotter di-i-i-ie!” Tbe last word was prolonged to a screech, and Flippy Jim—“ flippy ” no longer—flung himself on the floor and clawed around frantically with his dirty bands, Onee ore Randolph fiercely attacked the door: once more he failed, It was of heav material, and not a joint seemed strained by his exertions, ; They were ina veritable death-trap! He could not doubt that their misfortunes were owing to more than chance, The fastened door an}, the in-coming smoke all preved that human cunning was working against them, and naturally, he arrived at the conclusion that foes were outside laughing at their dilemma, Perhaps Cheslington was one of them, / ‘ )?