Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 717 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 Jack’s spirits took another drop. Randolph had signed a fictitious name, and given a false address. If the colored man took the letter there he would, of course, return with the infor- mation that no such person was known there, and then it would go hard against the Hustler Gain, | ‘* What hev I got ter do with your trade with bim?”’ ** That’s what I wish to learn.” ‘*Do you ginerally lock a feller up when he comes here with a note?” ‘** If Ll suspect him,” ‘*Great HKbenezer! what do you suspect me of!” ‘ ‘* You don’t know anything, I suppose, about a fire-escape racket?” Cheslington eyed Jack closely, and the latter knew it was a question by which the sharper, acting from knowledge, or as an experiment, boped to vee the messenger betray guilt, 1f such existed. Mosquito Jack was equal to the emergency. ** En?” he returned, innocently. ‘* Fire-escape, back-yard, police chase!” re- peated Cheslington, slowly. ‘** Don’ know nothin’ at all w’ot you’re talkin’ about. Confouncded myster’us critter, you be! Clams, chickens, chowder, cheese, chimpanzees! = does that sound? See how rydicerlous ye ee?’ Jobn J. Marsh was growing indignant, and he mimicked Cheslington’s solemn manner in a way which would have been laughable at an- other time, ‘* You are a plucky chap, I see,” returned Everard, ‘*Pluck? See here, mister, you’ve made a ris’ner 0’ me, an’ the thing goes ag’in’ my grain. ere we be rizbt in the boss city o’ the U.S, A., an’ a citizen like nie is tol’ be must be @ captyve, Mister, the citizen is goin’ ter bev somethin’ ter say erbout that/ Open the door, or I'll smash a hole through it!” As Jack spoke heraised one of bis feet, and the heavy shoe looked so formidable that Ches- lington attempted to avert the calamity by seiz- ing him, but he was neatly evaded. Another moment and a vigorous kick from the Hustler Gamin splintered a panel aud open- ed asmall hole to the ball, Then Cheslington seized him, * You young demon! what do you mean?” he demanded, fiercely. ‘** Hands off, or Til sarve youthe same way.” ** No, you won’t!” Jack was struggling in bis captor’s hands, and the latter put out bis strength and dragged bim back. Throwing him into a chair, the sharper glared at him venomously, ‘** Now, what are you going to do?” ‘Smash the rest o’ the door, later.” ** You won’t get a chance,” ‘* Anyhow, I’ve already opened an avenoo fer oxengen an’ hydrogen ter sift in,” ‘** You will pay for the damage,” **Say, you consarned, red-headed, weak-eyed dude, what d’ve take me fer? Goin’ ter pay fer defendin’ myself, be I? I guess not, Ebenezer Augustus! I’m a law-abidin’ citizen when let alone, but I kin thrash around an’ be wounded onpleasant when I’m misused. Make a note of it, an’ let me out afore I scream fer the per- leece!” ** It will cost you dearly to try it. Come! let us wind up our skirmish and be sensible. You were sent here by some one who thought to plhy me for an isnocent, but I’m not built right to act the martyr. Il am onto your game and shall defend myself; hence, your best way is to own up.” ** Ain’t got notbin’ ter own up to.” ** It is false!” **Oh! mebbe you know my biz!” ** T tell you Iam onto your game,” **Then let me alone, will yer? Why should I own up what you know already? I don’t know it, an’ can’town up, I’m ianercent of all things I ought ter be, by Ebenezer! Let me go, will yer?” Jack attempted to rise, but Cheslington held him, and, foiling his efforts, laughed derisively. ‘* Poor | fool!” he commented, ‘‘ it’s a wonder our mother lets you go out alone, You lack rains!” The boy ceased to struggle and looked his cap- tor in the eyes; the last words bad touched him deeper even than the speaker had intended. ** Mister,” he answered, very quietly, ‘* you’ve got your way now, an’ you’re runnin’ the machine fer all it’s worth, but don’t you forgit oné thing: I shall be clear some time, an’ when | be, | won’t forgit you. Dll even this thing up ef it takes ten years!” ee Cheslington looked thoughtfully at the speaker for a few moments, He had suspected from the first Chat the letter was the work of an enemy, and, wishing to get at the bottom of the mys- tery, had pursued a high-banded course with Jack, which he would not have dared to do with an older person. He had looked upon the messenger with con- temptous indifference because he was a boy, but it now occurred to him that even the boy might be dangerous, Tnere was that in his voice and manner which aroused serious thought. After a short time the sharper recovered his coolness, ‘* You'll probably set the North River on fire!” he sneered, Jack made no answer, and a period of silence followed, Knowing that an effort to escape would be useless, the messenger remained quiet in the chair, hile, after a little thought, Everard sat down near him, and, lighting a cigar, smoked and meditated. Half an bour passed. Then the negro fre- turned, ‘** Weill?” Cheslington questioned. ** Couldn’t find de place, sah.” ** Couldn’t find it?’ ‘* No; leastwayvs, I couldn’t find no sech man as Andrew Ray.” ‘* Was he out?” ‘*The buildin’ was a factory, sah, an’ nobody ever heerd of Andrew Ray, Only seven or eight men work there, sab, an’ nobody with bis name,” ‘** You made thorough search?” ** Yes, sab.” ‘**' You can go, Dorus,” The colored man took his departure, and Ev- erard turned his gaze upon Mosquito Jack. 4 iy see where you have brought up, don’t ou ‘Eh? [ain't good at riddles,” ** You tried to work a snare-game on me, but I tumbled to it right away; I’m too old,a bird ‘to be caught with chaff. lve kept you here and tested your sincerity. It proves that Andrew Ray is a myth, just as I thought he was. Now will you tell me who sent that letter? It will pay you to be frank. If you are stubborn, bere you are as my prisoner, and bere you stay. On the otber hand, if you turn about and helo me— tell me the whole story—Il’ll fill your pockets with cash. What do you say?” ‘What kin I say Jack returned, with an air of innocence, ‘‘ I came here in good faith, an’ ef Ray has any game on deck, you'll have ter go ter bim ter find out what 'tis, I can’t tell w’ot I don’t know.” ‘* Very well, young Obstinacy, but put this down: You can’t leave here until I get the whole truth out of you!” CHAPTER IX. THE MAN IN THE HALL, CHESLINGTON spoke angrily, and it was evi- dent that he intended to do all he threatened. ** How kin I tell w’ot I don’t know?” Jack re- peated, ‘** ‘You do know the man who sent you,” Ever- ard persisted, ‘“*T to? youl did, T’ve seen him afore ter-day, a good many times, He dresses wal, but don’t never do any work, as fur as I know; hangs around saloons an’ cuts quite a figger. Don’t pretend ter know whar he lives, nor w’ot his neme is; it may be Andrew Ray, or it may be E, Pluribus Napoleon Jones, 1 don’t know, an’ don’t keer,” ‘* You talk well,” Cheslington returned, ‘* but I am not to be deceived. You are betrayed by the fact that, when my messenger went to the address given by this alleged Ray, Ray was not there. This shows—” ‘*T reckon he’s shy, an’ wouldn’t show up only ter meet me, the one he expected.” ‘* Boy, you were to take my answer to some other place, and you know it. A public man like me has his enemies, and they are always yelping at bis heels like so many curs, One of them is after me now, and it is in your power to help me spot him. Do this, and Vil pay you well: continue obstinate, and you will remain in this honse, a prisoner on bread and water, until you do speak out!” Mosquito Jack saw more plainly than ever that he was in a fix, but wa; not disposed to show the white feather. It was high-banded work for Everard to make a prisoner of hin, and he found it hard to believe he would dare to do it, The sharper might be bluffing; in any case, Jack thought best to present a bold front, himself, and be had the courage to carry out his plan, Mosquito Jack, the Hustler Gamin. A long conversation followed, in which Ches- lington betrayed—by his persistence, not by ad- mission—that he was willing to do almost any- thing if the boy would reveal the whole truth, but he might as well lave talked to the foundation of the East River Bridge, At last he gave up in despair and anger. Ringing the bell he thus brought the colored man to his presence, ‘“*Dorus,” he directed, ‘‘take this blamed idiot to your room and hold him prisoner, He is to be held until he gets a move on bis tongue, Feed bim only on bread and water, and be eco- nomical of even those luxuries. This evening I'll have a staple and ring fixed in the wall, so we can chain bim up, and we’ll keep him there until bis hair turns gray, if need be!” - Yes, sah.” Dorus proyed himself a willing tool, and at once conducted Jack to another room, The lat- ter went without remonstrance; talk would be idle where Everard was concerned, and Dorus was a large, muscular man. Moreover, Dorus had a rough, unsympathetic face. The room where the prisoner now was had no peculiarities, It was atthe rear of the house, and the lower balf of the inside shutters was closed. He could look out and see the sky, but not the area of back yards. Later investigation proved that shatters and window were alike fastened, The boy sat down obediently and did some thinking. Captivity was odious to one who hai lived so much in the open air, anc he was sorry be had not listened to Randolph Fenton when the latter declared that the plan against Ches- lington was weak, Jack did not borrow trouble. Randolph and Officer O’Dowley knew where he had gone, and they would not remain idle a great while when be failed to return, Growing more cheerful over these reflections he turned to Dorus and entered into conversa- tion. Rough and tough as Dorus seemed to be be might bave a soft spot in bis heart, and the Rustler Gamin was shrewd enough to know how to reach it, if there was any road. He began on trivial matters, and talked in his most genial way. Dorus did not reciprocate; he answered, but in a cold, short, jerky, cynical way which proved that he was out of love with the world. Little consolation did Jack get, but he had to make the final trial, anyhow. ‘This is pooty tough on me,” he sighed, ‘1 m’|” grunted Dorus, ‘** Don’t like bein’ shut up, by Ebenezer!” Dorus said nothing. ‘‘Were you a slave in the war, neighbor?” continued Jack, perseveringly. ‘* Wot’s Vat ter you?” growled the negro. ‘Ef you wuz, you know how I feel now.” ** Don’t keer how you feel!” ‘* Liberty is a great thing!” Um?!” ‘* VU like, Dorus, ter ‘liven things up an artom by you an’ me goin’ out cna little war-trip. We could paint the town red in good style, Vl bet a hat! _ The negro regarded Jack grimly and said noth- ing. ‘You don’t look ter me like a hard-hearted man, pard,” continued the prisoner. ‘Darn nonsense,” muttered Dorus, ‘*There’s a good ’eal 0’ nonsense in this world, comrade, We meet it all through life. It’s nonsense fer parients ter put their infants on ex- hibition ez soon ez they’re borned, an’ let all the old women 1n the block come prancin’ in ter view that baby like so many scalded cats lookin’ hungrily at a conary inacage. It’s nonsense in later life fer us ter take sick with roomatiz, pitebfork fever, apoperplexity, cramps, collaric, whisky sours an’ logwood beer, but we might git ‘em all—some on us do, It’s nonsense fer me ter be sbut up bere, but bow be I ter git out?” ‘** You can’t.” ** You kin help me,” ** I woa’t,” ‘* Be you rich, Dorus?” ‘* None o’ your business!” ‘Task fer infermation, an’am ready ter pay fer wot I git. My clothes ain’t so scrumptious ez some, but [ bey friends who wear linen collars an’ change their sbirts ev’ry two weeks, I kin draw on them fer cash, an’, messmate, ef you'll lt me go free [ll come down with the money like a blizzard. What say, Dorus?”’ ‘* Shut up!” ‘* Don’t talk that way, pal; you hurt my feel- in’s—” Dorus rose, lifted a chair and swung it up over his head, ‘* Shut up, or I'll do ye up so you won’t nebber moah be heard from!” he growled, savagely, \ 7 «wi 1 era c 4 | rv *» — se