Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 732 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4. Daisy Dell, the Pavement Detective. This response, so solemnly asserted, seemed to satisfy the man for he went on: ‘-T think she was looking for the letter. As she did not find it she may cease to suspect you and give you no further trouble,” ‘* | hope it will turn out just so, I don’t want that woman to suspect me. J don’t like the looks of her hands. Her fiagers are long and sharp, and she looks as if she could strangle one before he could say ‘ Jack Robinson,’” — a short time the major arose and walked off, Andy Atom did not immediately quit the bench, but watched his partner until his figure became lost in the moving crowd, ** Which one?’ mentally questioned pe Dell; but he settled the matter by starting cff after the man, The brevity of his trail made him smile. He saw the major step across the street and enter a telegraph office. Still watching, the shadower saw him walk up to the counter and begin to write out a mes- sage on one of the blanks, ‘Tl try the experiment, anyhow,” decided the boy detective, ‘'He don’t know me, but is liable to before this game is played out,” He a ee into the building and waited a minute, all the time keeping his eyes riveted upon the tall man leaning over the counter, Presently he walked to the counter, taking a place at Manilla’s elbow and drew one of_ the pads of blanks toward him, He seemed intent on the message he appeared to be tracing out on the yellowish sheet; but at the same time he was stealing sly glances to- ward the moving hand of the man he was shadowing. W hat did he see on the major’s paper. What was that one line which the dark-faced man had just finished, and to which he was signing a name not his own? Daisy Dell’s eyes had rewarded him, for he had read as follows: **To PreRRE LAFARGE, New Orleans :— ‘Allis well. I obtained possession of the prop- erty this morning. OTTERPELT,”’ No wonder the boy detective started. He suddenly tore up his half-scribbled blank, and glided from the office unseen by the busy major. As he crossed the step Manilla handed his message to one of the telegraph clerks, CHAPTER IV, WHAT CAME OF A CLUTCH, THE next few days were spent by Daisy Dell in getting what he called a “firm grip” on the peculiar case Mother Ruckaway had placed in is hands, He could not get the New Orleans telegram out of his head, and when he asked the woman if she knew any one named Pierre Lafarge she shook her head and said she did not, During these days Daisy Dell had his first: in- terview with Luke Lester, the young man whom Caleb Pine expected to meet at the depot, He found the young fellow a good-natured person who shared some of Mother Rockaway’s confidences, and who said he had known her for several years, though be did not know much about ber even yet, The young detective’s meeting with Lester led to another introduction by which he became ac- quainted with a young girl named Bella Blair who sometimes wrote in offices; but who earned most of her money in making a certain kind of lace for which sbe received excellent pay. A week after the sending of the telegram Daisy Dell came across Andy Atom gliding down a street, not far from the one on which he lived, and as it was after dark he resolved to watch the boy. Andy had told Daisy Dell that, owing to his deformity, he had never went out of nights; but here he was sneaking in the shadows of the tall buildings like one whose mission was not all it should be, Tbe tenant of the old house on Bleecker street did not seem to have the least suspicion that he was followed, for he did not look back nor take much notice of those whom he met. The boy shadower followed him some distance when he hobbled up the steps of one of the ‘*L” depots and took a seat in the first up-town cars that came along, Daisy Dell at once took a position in the next car and fell to watching the young fellow. The ride lasted some time, and when Andy scrambled out the boy detective slipped from his car and watched him down to the street. He soon discovered that Andy had alighted near the entrance of one of the numerous little parks of the city, and presently he was seated on one of the benches there, as if waiting for some one, After awhile down the street came the tall figure of Major Manilla, and joined Andy on the seat. ‘*That’s right; birds of a feather!” smiled Daisy Dell, He saw the major hand\the boy some bills; after which Andy went toward the station and waited for the down-town train, Already the young shadower had discovered that the major was in the habit of visiting a certain house, the key to which he carried, end as the suspected pal turned in the direction of it, SEE POR URS from Andy Atom, the boy fol- owed, ‘* What do you want here?’ suddenly said a harsh voice, and a hand at the same time closed on Daisy Dell’s wrist with an iron grip. Instantly the boy spotter turned and looked up into the face above him, ‘*I know you, sir, and have been looking for you these twenty days,” continued the man, who was dark bearded and had a bad eye. ‘*T thought I would run across you again, and by the merest chance I have found you.” All this was a riddle to the young detective, for the man was an entire stranger to him, and he wondered if there could not be a mistake, “I don’t know ygu,” he replied, ‘* You seem to have taken me for some one else,” ‘“‘T guess not. Justasif I didn’t know you!” laughed the man, ‘*I would have known you among a thousand, and I[’m not the fellow to let ** No attempts to get off!” All this time Major Manilla was escaping, and Daisy Dell was desirous of tracking him home, ‘“‘Take me to Captain Moslem, or to Old Shadow, the detective, whose office is on Broad- way, and they will identify me.” ‘*] won’t go to that trouble, but will takecare of you myself.” aisy Dell drew himself up and looked across the street. There was no policeman in sight, ‘* Who do you think I am?” he asked, ‘* Now, that’s a pretty question, isn’t it?’ smiled the boy’s captor. ‘I wouldn't stop you if I didn’t know all about you I want to know.” The mystery was deepening. Meantime the boy detective was being escort- ed down the street by the man whose hand gripped his wrist, and the more he thought of the occurrence the deeper grew the puzzle. Almost in a stupor of amazement Daisy Deli was conducted to a certain house which his captor opened with a night-key, and, in a mo- ment, he found himself in the parlor, released for the first time since his singular arrest. **T trust you will explain now,” he said to the man who had stepped back and was contemplat- ing him with intense satisfaction, ‘I don’t think it necessary, You are the per- son I’ve been scouring the city for and I'm al- mighty glad to see youin my grip. Daisy Dell arose with indignation flashing from his eyes, ‘You have no right to detain me/a single moment. You are no officer and I have com- mitted no crime.” ‘* Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the other. ‘‘ No crime, eh? What do you call this infernal spying of yours?” ‘“‘ It is not a crime. interest of Justice,” Another laugh broke over the lips of the man in the middle of the room, ** See here,” he suddenly cried, leaning toward Daisy Dell. “f want to inform you, Sidewalk Sam, that you have discovered too much and that you are going to be caged for some time, or until we have the game in our hands,” Sidewalk Sam! Daisy Bell could not repress a start at the nawe he had just heard. ‘* Just as I wanted to tell you awhile ago,” he I spy sometimes in the exclaimed. “I am not Sidewalk Sam, but quite another person.” ‘*No fibs of this sort now; they won’t go down,” ‘Do I look like Sidewalk Sam, whom I know very well?” and the boy detective straightened and stood before the man who looked and show- ed his teeth after the manner of a wolf. ‘You can’t fool me, I say,” he replied. “You are the very person I wanted and you can’t convince me that you are not Sidewalk rans any sooner than you can that you have win «Bat, I am not that person, all the same,” “* Who then, eh?” ‘* Daisy Dell Raymond,” ‘* Ho, ho, ho! UE know that chap, You're te" as tall as young Raymond by an inch.” ‘* Not as tall as myself you mean to say. That is curious,” The man did not speak again, for some time, but watched the young spotter with all eyes. All at once it seemed todawn upon him that he had made a mistake; he fell back and from ths furthest side of the room, continued to gaze at the boy of the pavements. ‘l'hen he came forward. ** Why didn’t you tell me you were Daisy Dell when I first tackled you on the street?’ he demanded, ‘* T wanted to, but you wouldn’t let me,” ‘*So you are not Sidewalk Sam? Well, this gets me! You look alike, don’t you?” ‘*T don’t think we do,” ‘* Well, since you are not the boy I wanted let me give you a bit of advice. Steer clear of the man you were looking after when I happened to pounce upon you near the Park.” ** What do you know about him?” ‘‘Never mind. He isn’t to be trifled with. Don’t I know the major? And haven’t I cause to remember him? As slick as oil and as dan- gerous as a rattlesnake! [ ask your pardon. The most careful will make mistakes at times, and I confess that I have just committed a blun- der, I don’t want you, Daisy Del]; but if you had been Sidewalk Sam, you would have heard your doom ere this. There’s the door,” and the man coolly lighted a cigar while the young fer- ret looked toward the portal, “One word,” said the boy, hesitating, ‘ Did you ever hear of a man called Pierre Lafarge?” The effect of the name on the other was won- derful. He fell back asif a bomb had dropped at his feet; then he came toward the boy and me his arm, ** What do you know about him?” he eried. ‘*T asked you, didu’t I?” “So you did. I have heard the name, Pierre Lafarge. He lives in the South.” ‘*In New Orleans?” “No, not right ip the city, is near by and within wate most.” ‘¢ He knows Major Manilla,” ‘* How did you discover all this? But, pshaw! I ought to remember that you are a shadow, who is eternally prying into other people’s busi- ness. By Jove! I’m in need of a boy like you, [ want a ferret myself, and as you don’t care whom you serve so long as the money is forth- coming, I would like to give you a job. It’sa curious one, too, and rather dangerous. It is diamond cut diamond; knife against knife; and if you want to find out anything about Major Manilla and the game be bas on hand just now, you want to enter my service,” The words thrilled Daisy Dell, ‘‘ Will you help me?” continued the man. “TI hate Major Manilla and I want to get even with the rascal, thau whom there is none more cup- ning among the ten thousand now in New York. Boy, you must help me as against him!” “T will!” said Daisy Dell, to the stranger’s de~ light, His plantation ing distance al- CHAPTER V, THE PLOT UNFOLDS ITSELF. FORTHWITH the man who called himself Cap- per told the boy detective a strange story, _He said he was from the South and that he had cause for thwarting the designs of Major Manilla, but while he talked Daisy Dell thought he was about as big a rascal as the major. To the boy it was wolf against wolf, and he found himself enlisted in the service of one of the pair! Cad Capper told a good deal about Major Manilla, saying aragng other things, that he had once seen the inside of a prison for a serious crime, and that just now he waz playing a hard game for the enriching of himself and a com- panion whom he called Blossom, Daisy Dell listened until the man had finished and then put a few questions calculated to brin out something concerning his own life. But the moment he attempted this Mr. Capper shut him- self up like @ snail—which higbly amused the young detective and when he left the house to which he bad been taken as @ Captive he was in the service of his captor. _ ‘‘T am now in a nice pickle,” mused the hoy, as he walked along. “1 have agreed to report all I discover about the major and his plans to my new master who seems to be playing as deep a game as Manilla himself, I would like tu know what has become of Caleb Pine, if he reached the city, and my first move should be to rae out,” ’ . co visit to Mother Rockaway’s tuld him that : em er ~ RE a EL TT ee ——— ee Le “2