Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 726 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

¥ iv 5% ; ad ; hp i t lino, : is 1," a” v be , - . i \! 4 oh . 7 r u7 it e e 7 4 sf, iar tae ae ita had 2” ee ‘Ss é Ruy ‘ Ly Aaa af Ly, f Be Om 7 Si), abe a 4 \ eal ** And we know the man /” added Robert, in &@ deep voice, Dennis experienced a desire for information. ** 'W hat is he?” he asked. ‘* Gambler, adventurer, blackmailer!” Elliston bad asserted mors than he could have proven, in his excitement, and Dennis was star- tled afresh. And this was the man he had be- lieved in so fully! ‘** Trene,” Robert added, ‘‘I think I see what Montague’s plot was. Once in that house you would have been drugged, or otherwise de- prived of coherent thought, and decoyaed into marrying the Brown Sport, From the first have had a suspicion that he hoped to win you bunco-steerer and out of all this wretched muddle, Something—a sudden idea, I think—led him to play a bold and desperate card.” ’ ‘*Tt failed,” cried Dennis, ‘an’ now you've Robert shook bis head, ** Why not?” the questioner persisted, at I cannot explain why, but ,it is not advis- able, The explanation which was refused was read by Dennis in the faces of his Companions; they dared not make the arrest. “The Brown Sport has got some holt on ag thought the street boy, ‘‘ Whata rascal e is The heir of the house of Duff would not have been so radical in his change of opinion, even in ‘the face of strong evidence, if he had not read the Ellistons so well. It was plain to him that Hew f were honorable and worthy of respect and ief, Robert’s troubled expression cid not vanish, and, presently, he took Irene aside and talked with her privately for some time, Then he re- turned to Dennis. ** Young man,” he spoke, earnestly, ‘‘ we will allow you to leave us now, but let it be with a full understanding. You have done us a great, a vast favor. Words can not begin to express it; you have bound yourself to“us with rivets proof against time and rust,” ** Don’t mention it, boss,” was the protest. ‘*T must, because you shall be rewarded if I live. I want to know you better; to see you often; to help you as you have helped me, That is for the future. Now, take this for the present,” He extended a ten-dollar bank-note, and Dennis was human enough to take it without demur, ‘* Now, one thing more, If you hear of any- thing of interest, further, will you come to me with it?” ** You bet!” The bargain was made, and after a little more conversation, Dennis left the office. He started toward Broadway, but bad goue only a few steps when a hand was laid on his shoulder. He turned and saw a keen, athletic young man and, despite the very different guise in which be had once before met the same person, he now ga). ena him promptly. ‘Tom Tracer!” he exclaimed. ‘“Hush!” returned the detective, ‘* Don’t eak my name; the walls may have ears, Mo have you been doing in Robert Elliston’s office?” CHAPTER X,! STARTLING NEWS. “Dv og sold out a hundred shares in D. L. & W. railroad stock. Dennis Duff made the assertion gravely, and the detective smiled slightly. ** You feel more funny now than you did when you were yelling to the cabman to let you outot is vehicle,” “Hi! how did you know that, mister?” ‘“My story follows yours. I want to know what you have been doing to-day.” ‘‘ Sure, an’ I'm at yer service, Mr. Tracer.” Dennis had not lost his admiration for the gen- tleman from Headquarters, and he told the story in full, except that he did not give the Brown Sport’s name. He always referred to him as ‘the man.” _ Tom Tracer was patient, and it was not until the narrator bad finished that be asked: “Who was ‘the man’ ?” “* Roland Montague.” ** What! your loved employer?” “Say, mister, don’t jump on me—don’t! I feel as mean as ef I’d been after stealin’ a wid- der’s goslin’s, by mighty! Yes, an’ goslin’s with- Out pin-feathers or hair, too,, 1 never thought the Brown Sport was such a map.” fle - ‘Shall you stick to him?’ **Shall 1? Great sneezin’ cats! I guess not. Margaret Katherine Duff—which same is my mother by marriage—sbe’s been related ter my father ever sence they j’ined their bearts, bands an’ Irish stews; she would wollop my young spirit, an’ trowsers, with a strap, ef she knew o Dennis Duff, the Brown Sport’s Kid. | nis, shaking his head, | ‘‘Women is naturally full o’ evil propensities, rebellion, bigb-jinks, an’ spite ag’in’ work, an’ ef a strap ain’t took ter them occasional, they ain’t no good,” ** Sure, an’ men are no good annyhow. The trouble is, they don’t get licked enough when they’re boys. Every family ought ter hev a her Ballyragget offspring keepin’ dubi’some | machine ter do it, an’ strap the boys to it ivery company, an’ my trowsers are sensitive ter saris ‘* Who are you going to serve, then?” **Don’t s’pose you want a homely kid, with freckles on his face, an’ a wart on his wrist, do you?” was the bold inquiry. *T want you /” “You do?” > ‘é Yes.” ** Honest Injun?” ac Yes,” *“*Mr, Tracer, I can scarcely b’lieve it! Me, be an ally of an A 1 detective? Borin’ mus- keeters! you don’t mean it! No, you don’t; but 1 won’t let you back out, I take yer up atyer own offer, I do; an’ here is ten cents ter bind the bargain!” He extended a dime with perfect gravity and sincerity, but Tom Tracer assured him that a fiaancial consideration was not necessary, He stated, further, that he believed Van Decker and the Brown Sport were engineering some big plot, and that, of course, meant trou- ble and loss to somebody else, and violation of the laws of the good State of New York. The plot was still obscure, aud Tracer had found it hard to grasp, but he believed he now saw his way clear, ‘*Tf you will enter my service Ill bave you continue right along with Montague, do his er- rands as of old, act as of old, but learn more than ever, and keep me constantly informed, And as one event after another occurs, I shall prob- ably see a point where I can work in counter- demonstration, and get at the plotters’ secret,” ‘*T'll doit, b’jinks!” Denniscried. ‘ But, hold on! Before now cabby has gone ter Montague an’ told him how I knocked out his scheme.” ‘*Wrong! Cabman’s mouth is closed, and I have the key. He brought me here.” sé Eh?” ‘* By mere chance [I saw you and Miss Ellis- ton leave one carriage and enter another, after you had alarmed the driver into letting you out. Il immediately engaged the discarded driver to bring me here, and he told his story on the way down. Thenl sent him away.” ‘* But won’t he peach?” ‘No, The fellow is‘an ex-convict, and I know of an old offense which I could bring up against him at any time. I have not done it, for his former sentence seemed to be enough. I have, however, closed his mouth by threaten- ing to bring up the othercharge, 1 am positive re will tell the Brown Sport only what I have directed bim to, and that is, that, on the way to Purgatory Cocp, Miss Elliston insisted on get- ting out at a drug-store to get a remedy for sud- den faintness; and then evaded him and you. ou are supposed to be shadowing her, now, and that is the yarn you must corroborate when you go to Montague,” ** St. Patrick defend us!” Dennis cried, ** What now?” “Ef you ain’t a dandy I'll sell out. Why, that little fiction is foine as silk, an’ ivll knock Roland Gustavus gally west an’ up in high G!” ‘Don't let it put you in the way of fictions, but the only way to run down a rascal is to beat bim out in the game of wits.” Tom Tracer gave some further directions, and Dennis avowed his determination to serve the man from Headquarters to the extent of his ability. Then they parted and the new recruit started homeward, It was two hours later when he encountered Molly McGinnis near her home, ‘* What's the matter wid you?” she asked, “cc Tm well,” **You’s don’t look it.” ** You see too much.” ‘Sure, an’ why shouldn’t I be watchful of me cousin? Only the day me father was sayin’ that them who come from Ballyragget ought ter stand by each other,” ‘* The Ballyragget cousins always were great on that p’int. Sure, I’ve been after seein’ many the wan of them licked like a carpet because his pe wa’n’t strong enough fer his cousin he only way some men kin make their wives keep on a-dotin’ on them is to thrash them once a rea OP ‘ ‘* It’s meself would like ter see a man try it with me!” cried Molly, with spirit. ‘It bas ter be done,” gravely asserted Den- eee — noight, an’ let it paddle them just an hour: an’ when not on the machine, a missionary ought ter be wid the boys all the time.” ‘*T notice the girls take ter that kind o’ mis- sioner work!” ‘‘ They don’t take ter the boys,” “They take after thim,” ‘* Yes; a long ways after thim.” Dennis and Molly would not have been in their usual spirits had they not indulged in one of ther good-natured brushes, Having done this, the former told Maggie all about his recent ad- ventures, This was no breach of confidence. Tom Tracer already had made friends with her, and had decided that she might be as useful in her way as Dennis. Hence, she was to know everything, and was requested to be watcbful. ‘Tv’s a right serious matter ter break away from the Brown Sport,” Dennis remarked, in conclusion, ‘‘I ain’t never done no errands fer him but simple ones, but he’s always told w’ot he would fer me when I growed up, an’ I thought I’s on tbe road ter glory an’ cash, He even told me he could bire me out, right away, ter a horse ‘ tout,’ but of course I’d not be after oin’ in ter no sech disreputable biz as that. ot fer Isaaci” ‘‘Tom Tracer will use you better than him,” ‘‘ Thomas is a slick chap, I’m after tellin’ you, an’ I guess he’s honest. Annyhow, he’s snapped the Brown Sport's game off the hook, an’ Roland Gustavus ain’t got no suspicion that he bas been done up, Yes; you an’ me will stick ter the gent from Headquarters, Molly, an’ 1 reckon we won’t be sorry. Now, l’m goin’ home an’ turn in early. I’m about fagged out, an’ nobody knows w’ot the next call will be. No Bally- ragget man ever kuows jest when ter fight an’ when ter pray, unless he does both at once,” Dennis went home, and only waited to eat supper before turning in, ut he was not to get the lcng night’s rest he bad calculated» on. He was creaming that be had hired the exclusive use of the East River Bridge for a year at fifty cents a week, when the great business scheme dissolved and some- body begun to sbake him rudely, “Sure, be you’s gone cl’ane out ave your own body an’ moind?” demanded the voice of Mrs, Margaret Katharine Duff. . ‘‘The ‘grip’ has broke, an’ two trains hev smashed into aich other right over Vandewater street,” murmured Dennis, drowsily, still think- ing of the big briage. { ‘* Begorra, Oi'll show yez dbat de grip is all roight, me lad!” quoth Mrs, Duff; and she lifted her son bodily and set him, on his feet. ‘“*A foine duck, you are, ter be dr’amin’ loike a lazy Turk whin you’re wanted, The Duffs ave Bally- ragget niver would own yez, an tbe loike ave you will niver free ould Oireland; but phwat is ter be expected ave a b’ye that neglected ter be born in Kilkenny county, where his ansisters hev lived ever sence Brian Boroihme was king ave the Emerald Isle?” “Yes, an’ they all died there, too,” returned Dennis, now fully awake. * Ab!” none ave your back talk now; sure, you’s want ter get a move on, fer yer cousin, Molly McGinnis, do be waitin’ at the dure ter see yez.” ‘Molly? Great hump-backed cats! Why diin’t ye say so afore, instead o’ talkin’ about Ballyragget an’ Brian Boil-me. Molly’s great- erandfather’s father was father ter my great- grandfather, an’ I don’t neglect my rela- tions.” eee ‘Sure, the McGinnises ave Ballyragget are a foine family, though not aiquil terme own, the McFinnegans, who always loigbted Brian Boroibme’s pipe whin—” Mrs, Duff never knew when to stopif once: started on a subject, but she now found herself alone. Her hopeful son had hastened to meet his ** cousin.” ; Molly was outside the street door, and Dennis noticed that she look troubled. ‘Hi! Molly, w’ot’s the word?” he asked, quickly. sé Bad!” ‘“Go ’way! Wot is it?” ‘‘T’m afraid Tom ‘Tracer has come to grief.” se How?” ‘‘ Drowned in the river by the toughs!”