Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 720 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

* - oo > * bec” 2S eee ~ We * other,” another speaker { to that, |. shootin’.” . wemarked Billy. ul @ 2. ee ‘ ’ > oe res yout . - ~ 2 “i . Vy f : 4 le 4 * ; or eo + Wy T could get to the door, but nobody was in sight who looked suspicious, No one was on the iazza, and nobody was very near anyhow. The ove who fired the shot must have dodged around the bouse, there at the right side, and I’m sorry now that I didn’t run out to that end of the piazza. But I would have been too late, of course.” ‘* No doubt about it, The one who fired that shot dodged quick, you may bet on that,” ‘* And it seems strange that no one in the street turned this way. But then the report was not so very loud, though it must have been heard, Still they may have given a glance, and seeing no excitement, gone right on about their business, One thing is plain, and that is that it was murder, cool and deliberate; and the mur- derer took the most favorable chan that offered, All this is guessing at it though; what we are after are facts—points,” ‘Right you are in that, my lad,” the land- lord agreed. ‘‘ Supposings won’t hang the ras- cal, let alone fiud him for the hanging.” ** Well, let’s stop guessin’ and begin to fish for facts. Now, there’s one or two points that l’d like to have more light on, candle my way?” The landlord smiled. **)ll ‘lighten you all I can,” he assured. ** Well, then, to begin at the front end of the uzzle, who is this lady they spoke of as Miss Weaselley?” ** She’s one of the belles of Santa Fe, and one of the finest girls you ever saw. Harry was payin’ attention to her.” “T thought so. Were they engaged, d’ye know?” **T don’t know; Mebby they was. ‘Don’t matter in p’tic’lar, anyhow, so long as they was sweet on each other. That’s the pint you know.” Billy was dropping into his free-and-easy every-day manner of speech, which was so nat- ural to bim, and in which he was a master artist. ** No, I don’t reckon it does,” the landlord coincided, ‘And then there’s a Harrison Waldmar I heard mentioned while the crowd was here. Who is he?” ‘‘ Why, he is a chum of Harry’s, or leastways he was sich—I mean that they were pards, and the best sort o’ pards, up to some weeks ago, when they kad a falling out,” “There! that is what I was tryin’ to get at. I couldn’t make out whether they was good friends or what. How did they happen to fail out? Do you know all about their diffikilty?”’ “Oh, yes, everybody knows about it. You see, they both was hit with the sameclub at the same time—that is to say, both got in love with Cora Wesselley at once, and when that is the case, you kuow, feelins’ can’t be pleasant,” ‘Sweet pertaters! I shonld say not! I re- meinber when I fell in love with Molly McGee, and a red-headed young—” ‘* You'd better stick ter facts,” interrupted Skiony. ‘‘ What has that got ter do with this case?” ** Bless me|” Billy snorted, looking at his lean partner in “pare ape surprise, ** you are there ain't you? I[ didn’t see you, as you're standin’ in th’ shadow of the light— Study that when you have time, Mebby you’re right, little one, Will you hold your hadn’t any means to find out. 80 we'll take a fresh start.” _ With that Billy turned again to the landlord. ** You don’t imagine this man Waldmar is the one who did the thing, do you?” he questioned, ‘*Great stars! no!’ earnestly. ‘‘ Waldmar is as fine a fellow as Harry was, No, that’s im- possible,” “TI hope so, for his sake, but rivals in love sometimes do crazy things that they wouldn’t ‘ $ think of doin’ at any other timé, Now that red- headed— That’s so, Skin, I wasn’t to drift off Who is this Waldmar, landlord?” “He's all ve said of him. Besides that, he’s ' a 80n of of a rich father, and thedamily is a re- spectable one all around, No, it don’t seem : ; possible that he would do sich a thing as kill a man, and most least of all Harry Rentaway, I ‘ eouldn’t believe that of him.” he Pe No, sir!” exclaimed others in the room, who ere listening, ** you needn’t look there for your “They mebby didn’t feel rigbt to’rds each put in, ‘an’ we can’t s’pose they did; but they wouldn’t come to ‘*Then Is there’s no use lookin’ to him,” 4, ““ Not a bit o’ use,” the landlord assured. ~ Just then two or three men entered the bar- Ty fe _ } 7 ~~. oa | nS? ‘ 4) ’ JV er % WR) ere y ¥ has ‘ : Pe 4 ’ o4 Mg - me - Broadway Billy’s Full Hand. room in excited haste, and one of them ex- claimed: ** Have you heard the latest?” ** No,” was the more than prompt answer. ** Harrison Waldmar has been ’rested.” ‘* What! Harrison Waldmar ’rested?” “*That’s what’s happened. They think he’s th’ one done it.” ‘*T’ll never believe it!” protested the landlord, ‘** T’'d ’most as soon think Harry’s father done it,” Billy and Skinny were all attention. ‘* But how did he ever come ter be s’pected?” was asked, ‘It is knowed they had a quarrel t’other night.” ‘What of that? Must every quarrel lead to murder?’ ‘* No; but there’s murder here, and a quarrel is not goin’ to be overlooked, When that was made known, his arrest was ordered,” ‘* An’ that ain’t th’ wu’st of it, either,” averred another of the new-comers. | ‘**What’s th’ rest of it then?” ‘One chamber empty.” ** Whew /” the landlord whistled, drawing a long face, ‘* No, nor that ain’t th’ hull of ther wu’st of it,” another struck in. ‘Well, let’s have it allin a lump,” was the eager cry. ‘'Give us th’ hull piece ter chaw oa.” ‘* Why, some fellers seen him hurryin’ away from this direction after ther shot had been fired, near as anybody kin tell, an’ he looked ex- cited, And his pistol was smoke-white on th’ nose when it was looked at, after they’d nabbed him, ‘*‘ Where was he when arrested?’ asked Billy. ** Home,” was answered. ‘* And he went straight home from this direc- tion?” | ‘* So it seems,” ‘* How long had he been there?” ** See here, J don’t know every p’int about it,” was the retort. ‘* No matter; I merely asked.” For some minutes then there was a general rattle of question, answer and surmise, It seemed that Harrison Waldmar had been arrested, as shown, and under the circumstan- ces mentioned. He would say nothing, except to declare most positively that he was innocent of the crime. In fact, according to his own words, he had not known of it till his arrest, The men who had been sent for him, it was further mentioned, had stated that the young mad had almost fainted with fright when the made known their errand, showing every eyi- dence of guilt, Waldmar, in his own behalf, said it was caused by the shock it gave him to hear that Harry Rentaway had been killed by an as- sassin’s bullet. But beyond, that nothing had yet beeu cleared up. Waldmar would not explain about the empty chamber in bis revolver, nor would be say where he had been when seen moving to- ward home in haste about the time the crime was done, Altogether it looked dark for him, and gradually public opinion went against him, And the moreso since it had come out that he had used threats at the time of his quarrel with the murdered man, Al} this, and a good deal more of minor im- portance, did Billy and Skinny get hold of, and when the New York lad, after awhile, asked the landlord what he thought about it, the man shook his head. He wouldn't have believed it, he couldn’t have believed it, he declared, if the roof wasu’t so strong. And it certainly did ook as though the right man was in the toils for the cowardly crime, : CHAPTER III. BILLY’S OPINION WANTED. Bry and Skinny presently left the hotel and walked down the street, Their minds were busy with this new problem that had been thrust upon their notice. Eager were they both to solve this mystery, to bring the cowardly assassin to account, and win further renown for themselves, Skinny had the “ fever” now almost.as bad as Billy, though he did not like to admit that such was the case. He wanted Billy to be responsible for everything in this line, Perhaps this was with a wise foresigbt to a pos- sible failure, when he, Sxinny, could haveample room to fall gracefully, as it were, and put the blame of everything upon bis ner, If suc- cessful,he would come in for a share of the glory. There was nothing slow about Skinny. ‘* Well, my gay an’ festive sliver,” spoke Billy, ** what do you think of this case? Do you think this Harriscn Waldmar is guilty?” of his revolver was found ‘Pll be twisted if [ know what to think about it,” was Skinny’s response to that. ‘‘ It seems to look bad for bim, and folks seems to think it must beso, What do you think?” **Pm like you. I don’t know jest what ter think. But it is wonderful easy for folks to he mistaken once in a while, and I have an idee that folks may be mistaken this time. Some- thin’ seems to tell me that he didn’t doit at all. It is for you and me to find out,” ‘‘ Yes, and maybe it will be for you and me to get ourselves into trouble if we go to poking our noses into it too far. But there’s no use talking to you, as I have found out by a dear experience, And I suppose you will drag me into it with you, and I'll have to share the dangers in order to lend you my protecting care, Go ahead, and good luck attend you,” ‘‘Sweet pertaters!” exclaimed, Billy “ but that’s quite an able address fer you to make, Skin. Don’t you feel tired after it? Dll bet if you’d own up, that you’re as anxious toget at the bottom of this thing asIam, Never mind I’m going into it anyhow, boots and all, and if I don’t stir things up 16 will be because I have for- got how. I want to seetbis Harrison Waldmar, if it’s possible, and have a talk with him if he’s willing.’ ‘That will be the best thing we—I mean you —can do, Then you will know what sort of fellow he is,” ‘‘Exactly, my little trifle. And then we— excuse me—/ will know where to take hold.” Appearances against him are ugly enough just now, Billy.” ‘Tl admit it; but we'll see what’s what.” ® ‘‘ Well, where are you going now?” **T guess we had better call on this Clever-and- the-rest-of-it fellow, and see where his pain lies,” ‘* That’s so; [ had almost forgotten about him. We better go there and see what he wants, and tell him we can’t bother with his case now.” ‘We ?” interrogated Billy. ‘‘l thought it was I,” ‘*Oh! you know what I mean, anybow,” ** Yes; I know you’re mean cnough for any- thing. As to giving a his case, if it is a case, we'll see about that. If it ain’t too beavy for us to carry, I guess we will take it aboard. Skinny protested vigorously, and their talk eg on as they proceeded to the office of Mr, inck. Following the direction of their landlord, they were presently at their destination. At the side of the door of a rather respectable looking building, was a sign indicating that ‘* Cleverdale Finck, Insurance” occupied a room on the second floor, The lads went in and up-stairs, and at the first door on their right, at the top, the sign was re- Rill y opened the door, and they walked boldly in and looked around. A good-looking and well-dressed young man was at a desk near a window, and at the other window sat a thin, wrinkled man of age uncer- tain. ‘‘ Ah! my lads, glad to see you!” the young man exclaimed, getting up and offering his han to Billy, ‘'I know you, of course; everybody in Sante Fe knows you, Take chairs,” “We might have been here a little sooner,” responded Billy, ‘‘but that awful affair at the hotel kicked up such an excitement that we couldn’t get away from it. I will introduce my cone . Skinny. He is little but exceeding- good, “Glad to know you, Mr. Skinny. I knew you by sight, of course. Aud now— But, my umble apology to you, Mr. Ferret;” turning to the other man, ‘ Let me introduce these young gentlemen to you. This is Mr. Weston, popu- larly called Broadway Billy; and this other is Mr. Skinny, his partmer, Young gentlemen, Mr, Ferret,” These introductions were made with all the airs of a French dancing master, and Billy took a dislike to Mr, Finck from that moment. There was something about him too airish to suit Billy’s sense of the fitness of things. So honestly blunt and hearty himself, he hated anything that savored of affectation in others, In his mind he set Mr, Finck down for a dude, “Tam glad to make your acquaintance,” ac- knowledged Mr, Ferret, rising and extending his hand, ‘‘I have heard of you since my ar- rival here, Mr. Weston, and have had a curiosity to see you.” ‘‘ Good enough,” returned the Gotham Gamin, ‘‘ but I can’t say whether I’m glad to make your acquaintance yet or not, Shall have to reserve my decision till we are better acquainted, if that is destined to be, If it isn’t, no matter,” . \ - ' | ae io i . ‘ 4 - —— > l/ . or a ‘ NMCDOOKS , : e a , in : LA's