Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 732 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

' . te ete —- i ot ee eer es oe Ee eo ‘© Won't you tell me where those persons are?” roared Mother Rockaway in louder tones, ‘“‘ If you don’t I will have you arrested for murder, even if I go to the asylum you speak of and—” This was the straw that broke Major Manilla’s patience, Allat once he came back toward the woman who awaited him with compressed lips and the mien of a tigress. She did not stir. What might have happened but for the sudden appearance of a policeman cannot be told; but the moment the major saw the officer his face lit up with pleasure, ‘“That woman has assaulted me,” he said to the officer. “ Besides, she is too insane to be at large. Blackwell’s is the place for her,” Tho policeman had already caught sight of Mother Rockaway and was advancing toward her, ** 4) he sends we to the asylum I’]] send him to the gallows!” she shoated., ‘' T told you 80, officer,” quietly said the major. “* She has claws like a tigress: be careful,” : The next moment the iron grip of the police- man had fastened on Mother Rockaway’s arm and she was dragged off, ‘*She won’t trouble me any more,” chuckled the major, moving off. ‘* They won’t pay any attention to her ravings and we are still safe and in clover. By Jove! I wasin luck when I ran ficross her, for she’s safely caged now,” and he laughed again. CHAPTER VIII. THE LOST TURNS UP. SAFELY caged! There was something consoling in that, No wonder Major Manilla chuckled when he walked off. If he had tooked over his shoulder he would have seen Mother Rockaway in the policeman’s grip and on her way to the place she dreaded, At almost the same moment of these occur- rences a boy who wore a haggard look halted on the steps of a certain house and rung a bell which was responded to by a woman of fifty who asked him in curt tones what he wanted. ‘* Mother Rockaway,” answered the boy, ‘‘ She ain’t here,” was the response,” ‘* But she lived here when I went away,” . ‘. ** When was that?’ ‘* About a month ago,” The woman laughed. ‘ ‘A good many people have died in that time,” said ‘she. ‘‘We don’t know what became of Mother Rockaway, as you call her. We have heard there was such a woman who once lived in this house; but that’s all we know.” The boy, who was good-looking, stood and thought, After awhile he moved down from the step and walked slowly off. ‘* J expect a good many things have happened since I went off against my will,” he mused, ‘« A good many rascalities, too, no doubt.” An hour later that same boy was looking up at the house occupied by Andy Atom and Major Manilla—looking at it with a fierceness which told that he had a grudge against those inside. The hour was getting late and when he walk- ed away from the bouse it was to hurry dowu town and at last rap on a door which was open- ed by a young girl who showed a pair of black eyes as she peered cautiously out. ‘Great heavens! I believe it is Daisy Dell!” she cried her face,suddenly lighting up with a smile. ‘*Come in, boy. ou don’t look like yourself,” ‘Maybe not, but it makes me feel like myself to get back here once more,” and the boy slipped into the house to be led into a little back room where the light revealed the face and figure of Bella, the lace-maker. ‘* You are Daisy Deh, sure enough,” said the delighted girl. ‘*I wish Mr. Lester was here to see you. He bas wondered what became of you and we have feared that something bad had happened,” ‘Something bad did happen, Bella,” said the boy with a faint smile. ort would take mea tong time to tell the whole story, but 1am so anxious to hear the news here that I know you will let my story be postponed,” * Why, when did you get home?’ asked the astonished girl,” ‘*T have just. struck the city.” Bella drew back and looked long at the young detective. ‘* Bella, ’'ve come back to make some people wish they had never \been born,” he went on, ‘**T have been out of the city all this time, with- ' out hearing a word from it. and you may know ! -_—_—_—- —-— es how anxious I am to hear all that has oc- curred,” During the next ten minutes Bella talked fast. She told all she knew about the sudden good fortunes of Andy Atom and his pard, the major; she told how Mother Rockaway had suddenly disappeared, and how Cad Capper, the man who had rik 7, 2 her on the street, saying that she looked like her mother, had never been seen afterward, and a lot more talk. To all of this Daisy Dell listened with keen in- terest, not once interrupting the girl to the close ot her narrative, ' ‘** Bella, 1 have been shut off from the world all these days,” hesaid, seeming to speak through his teeth, ‘‘ Il was caught in my own house by Major Manilla, and by him or some one else taken out of the city on a vessel. I have been to the islands in the far South Seas. I have seen more of the world than I ever dreamed of ape’ng; but here Il am back again, to make somebody pay for their rascality. More than this [ need not tell you at this time. I have called at Mother Rockaway’s house, to find that those who inhabit it know nothing about her, What has become of the woman? **Of course vothing has been found of Caleb Pine,” continued the young detective. ‘He has fallen a victim to the plotters, and they are just now enjoying the fruits of their Jabors, ait, Bella; just wait. My time is coming.” The next day Daisy Dell, while eating his first breakfast in the city after his forced sojourn away, Came across an item in the morning paper which almost took his breath, In a moment he was reading the following: “AN INSANE WOMAN ‘Late fast nigh: watrolman Kenney arrested, on Cedar street, a crazy Woman, who had just assaulted a gentleman against whom she had an imaginary grudge. The poor creature thinks she has been de- prived of some valuable papers, and accused the gentleman of having caused the disappearance of Several persons, among them her brother Caleb, a Pennsylvania farmer. She was taken tc the Mul berry Street Station, Where she will be detained until comm ted to the asylum.” Only this and nothing more: but it told a startling tale for the boy detective, From that moment bis breakfast bad no relish for him, and dispatching it in a jiffy, he rushed out of the restaurant and bent his steps toward the station. In a few minutes he stood in the presence of a woman who sat on @ stool ip a cell, with her hair disheveled, and her eyes cast upon the floor, ** Mother Rockaway?” said Daisy Dell. In an instant she looked up, her whole face changing as if by magic, and her figure in a tremble, ‘It is Daisy Dell’s voice, but what I see be- fore me is the boy’s ghost,” she exclaimed. ‘* They killed you like they killed Caleb; but—” She stopped, and, leaning forward, looked searchingly into the boy’s eyes, then with a wild cry of real recognition, sprung up and lifted him from the ground. An hour later the boy ferret came out of the statioa with a smile on his face, ‘‘Tf you will let me take care of. Mother Rockaway,” he said to the officers at the station, ‘*] will be answerable for her conduct. She will make no more street scenes. We havea common cause, Mother Rockaway and I want to clear up a mystery and bring some of the greatest villains in the world to justice, and I can’t do it with her in the asylum,” The result of the visit to the station was that Mother Rockaway went forth a free woman, and the two disappeared, leaving behind with the authorities an injunction that nothing should be said of the release. Long before night Mother Rockaway was the tenant of a little room in a quiet part of the city and Daisy Dell was back on the old trail. That night Major Manilla, passing down a certain street, had a shadow at his heels but saw it not. He had left at home the boy whom he had assisted to enormous wealth by a well-played game, and who, seated at the open window, smiled at the people who went by and laughed at some who were poor and crippled. All at once there came out from among the trees near the house a man who walked toward the place with his eyed fastened upon the face at the window, Andy Atom saw the man come up and gave him a suspicious stare, When near the window the man nodded, but Andy did not return the salutation, ‘‘Mebbe you think yourself above such fel- lows aS me now,” sneered the stranger, drawing \ ————— —————$—— ———— --—- Daisy Dell, the Pavement Detective, ° Vf TSS Ge — ———- ee _——-. up ME the sill and looking into Andy’s eyes. ‘‘ I guess l’m as good as you, and then I’m not enjoying stolen property.” In an instant the boy turned pale and his eyes flashed, ** Have a care how you talk,” he cried, ‘*T know who I’m talking to,” was the an- swer, ‘* You're nothing but an impostor, You have no more right to the money you’re enjoy- ing than I have to Gould’s millions. What’s be- come of the rascal who played the cards that won the game?” Andy put up his hand to lower the window when the long fingers of the’ man outside came forward and gripped his wrist. ‘* Wait till I’m through,” he said, ‘* Wait till ’ve had my say. If you don’t want to listen to me here, by Jove, I’ll come inside and talk to you at home, Why, you little thief, it hasn’t been long since you were the topmost rat in a tenement, 1 knew you when you were too poor to feed a fly; but now you have all you wantand how. did you'get it? They say you are Franklin Ferris, but that is a bare-faced lic, Franklin Ferris is dead but his sister is living and what ou are enjoying belongs to her. How do you like that, Andy Atom?” This was too much, Andy rose and broke from the man’s grip. [on lunging after his band, the stranger almost threw himself in at the open window, and Andy shrunk back with a startled cry. ‘* Don’t enter this house!” cried the boy, ‘* What's that? Do you threaten to do some- thing if I follow? Why, this house isn’t yours, I say, and to prove that I have as good a right in it as you have, I’jl come in,” A spring carried the speaker to the front step and as the door was unlocked he opened it and entered. Andy heard his steps in the hallway and flew to a desk, the lid of which he flung up, and snatched from the place a revolver which he leveled at the door, He did not have to wait long for the man, for the door was soon burst open and he saw him in the room, ‘** Another step and I will shoot you!” cried the boy heir, . **'You will, eh?” coolly grinned the stranger, halting near the threshold, ‘‘ If you wantijto ex- change what you have stolen from Florence Fer- ris for the scaffold, blaze away.” Andy lowered the weapon and _ groaned, Already his courage was oozing out at his finger ends, The very coolness of the man unman- ned him. Who was he, and what did he know about the game that had been played so suc- ceasfully, ‘‘ Maybe you would like to know who I am?” said the man, coming forward once more, ‘I am Nolan Ferris himself, I am the father of Franklin and Florence, the man supposed to be dead, and here youand your partner have sworn that you are my son and heir,” Andy Atom thought he felt the floor sinking beneath him, CHAPTER IX, PLAYING HIS PART, MAJOR MANILLA went off into a fit of laugh- ter when Andy Atom told him about the visit of the man who claimed to be Nolan Ferris. ‘** He is a rank impostor who is trying to bleed us; that’s all,” said the major. ‘if I had been at home I would have sent him to the station too quick, Nolan Ferris, eh? Is that the game he gave you? Bosh!” ‘Well, he frightened me, anyhow. I don’t want any more such visitors.” ‘‘T wish he would meet me on the street, I would just like to show him that Jam not to be trifled with,” and the cool rascal took out a cigar and began to smoke, id The boy could not help admiring his nerve, ‘‘Are you sure the young fox won’t come back?” suddenly asked Andy, ‘¢The boy you call Daisy Deli?” és Yes. ” ‘© What, you’re not afraid of him, I hope? Why, of course he won’t come back to do us any harm, Where is he? Really, that would be hard to tell; but from what I know, and that isn’t very much, be is very likely hunting mon- keys in, Ceylon,'or some other sea-girt isle.” All at once Major Manilla left his chair and went to the window. Andy Atom had closed it since the stranger's departure and the major now raised it and looked out, Ts he out thero again?” asked the boy, turn- ing a shace paler, ‘I guess not, I thought 1 heard some one stop at the window, but we don’t intend to