Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 732 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 Daisy Dell, the Pavement Detective, have any eavesdroppers,” and the sash fell, and the plotter came back and resumed his smoking. The next day was such a pretty one that Andy thought he would spend a short time in the nearest park, and the middle hour of the forenoon found him there, Very few who knew him when he was the topmost tenant of the old pileon B!eecker street would have recognized him now. A great change had come over ‘he boy, He wore better clothes and tried to look like an heir to vast estates, Whenever he found him- self alone he was sure to contrast his present condition with the other one. ‘Sometimes it all seemed a dream, and it was difficult to think that he was not Andy, the occupant of the rat- infested rooms, He was watching the procession of people through the open park, when his attention was attracted to a boy of his own age, who appeared to be watching him with some interest, Andy motioned to the urchin and he came up, a poorly clad, unwashed street Arab, whosmiled and touched a ragged hat in deference to riches, 3 ‘lve heard about yer good fortune, but couldn’t believe it till now,” said the boy. ‘ You’ve struck it rich, haven’t you?” and he drew off and surveyed Andy till the latter had to laugh. ** 1 don’t remember you,” he said to the gut- ter snipe. ‘‘ Guess not, but I used ter see you on old Bleecker, when you was at the foot of the ladder. My name is Billy Box, an’ I never expect ter git to where you ar’ at this minute. Do you like yer new life?” “Fairly well, Billy,” replied Andy. **Don’t them clothes feel rather awkward; and the watch, too? I guess I would die in ’em the first day,” ba ore are things at the old place?” asked Andy. ‘Kickin’ some, Bat they’re not what they used ter be when you was-there,” From this the two boys branched off into a discussion of the times to be had in a tenement where there are lots of children, Andy asking about every one whom he had known in the house he used to inhabit, and Billy Box giving him all the information he had to give, After awhile Billy asked after Major Manilla, and then, as if be suddenly recalled the name, he inquired after Daisy Dell, saying that he bad seen him with Andy on several oc- casions, ‘** Daisy went away,” said the young nabob., ‘** Did somebody whom he got ter trackin’ kid- nap him?” **[ don’t know, but I shouldn’t be surprised if he was kidnapped. He was aspy, as you may know, Billy.” ‘‘Y always thought he was, but wasn’t sure. He could slip round like a shadow, and I always thought if he ever got ter inquiring inter my business affairs, he would wish he hadn’t,” Andy Atom was silent, ‘* Did he ever try ter inquire into your affairs, Andy?” suddenly asked Mr, Box. ** Yes, be did, but I didn’t care for that.” ** Mebbe your friend did,” ** May be he did, Billy,” answered Andy, with a significant look which was full of meaning, ‘*'You see I have a friend who don’t stand any foolishness,” “So Pm told, I wouldn’t mind havin’ a friend like that myself; but it would be pretty hard to make an beir out of me though I guess the major could do it if he chose,” Andy fell back at a loss whether to get angry or laugh at the singular sentence. . vt easy vou don’t mean to insinuate that I am not what ] represent myself?” he exclaimed, “Why shoul! I?’ was the instant response, ** Ain’t you in full possession aad what more do you want? What would it amount to if some one should come along and say you weren’t the rightful beirtotheestate? He would geta back- set that would floor him, for didn’t you prove to the full satisfaction of the courts that you were Franklin Ferris, though I can’t help callin’ you Andy?” ! “You are right. I am Franklin Ferris, though for a long time I thought otherwise. It took the major to find out the truth and make another person out of me,” . The boys continued in this strain for some time, Billy Box now and then asking a question that was hard to answer, and Andy wondered where he.obtained his information. At last Billy went away leaviug the boy na- bob in the Park, In ashort time he turned upin quite a dif- } ferent place and was met there by a man who received him with a good deal of pleasure,” **} got a good deal out of him and he didn’t suspect me in the least,” said Billy Box to this man. ‘‘I quizzed him pretty close at times and now and then he drew into his shell like a snail,” Both laughed together. ‘*T found out that he actually thinks he is Franklin Ferris, thanks to Major Manilla’s ras- cality. He dresses like a young prince and I had to laugh to see the style he tried to put on.” ‘* He'll put some of it off one of these days,” said the man, with some bitterness, ‘‘I had a notion to choke him in the house last night, but something held me back. The time is coming when I will break that boy’s dream and send the plotter over the road if not to the gallows, I can hardly keep from it now,” ‘*Tf course the time will come if all goes well with us,” said Billy Box. The man, who had a white and haggard face, arose and walked the room, ‘* What are you going to do next?” he sud- denly asked, stopping in the middle of the car- pet, ‘‘T am going to find out, if I can, something about Caleb Pine’s visit to the city ” ‘* That’s a pretty old trail.” ‘*T know it; but it belongs to the game, for without it we may fail, and failure is the last thing we want.” ‘That is true,” Half an hour later the person called Billy Box was waiting at tho door of a house in Jersey City, and when it bad opened and he had said something to the woman who appeared, he was admitted and found bimself inside, ‘*My husband will be glad to see you,” she said to the boy. ‘‘He don’t 2e many people nowadays, and likes to hear them talk.” In a little while the boy stood in a small room where a man reclined in an invalid’s chair, ‘‘T know you,” said he, extending his hand, ‘* ‘You are the boy who came to me a month ago or thereabouts, and asked me about an occur- rence at the depot.” r Billy Box started. ‘* Your memory of faces is excellent,” he said. ‘*T have tested my disguise several times durin the past twenty four hours, and it has done irs, service, Yes, 1am Daisy Dell Raymond, and I am here to see if your memory of that event is any better now than it was then.” ‘¢ Tt is,” cried the invalid with enthusiasm, ‘I have been thinking over that day’s events ever since you went away, and now I am sure I have a good grip on them,” ‘* That suits me exactly, Captain Poynter.” ‘*] remember the countryman who landed that morning with bis big, old-fashioned valise. He was met by a nicely dressed man who es- corted him to the ferry. I can see it all now, just as though it were happening in this very room. Not only that, but I can tell you how both were dressed.” ‘* Have you seen the nice dressed man since?” ‘* Several. times and one a week ago, or just before I was hurt. I recollect that the old man was surprised to see him that morning, and I thought to myself at the time that something was afoot,” ‘* There was,” said the boy shadow; ‘ the big: gest piece of deviltry in the world. Do you think you could identify the man who met-the old gentlemen?” ‘*T can swear to him no Matter where I find him,” was the prompt response, That is all, captain,” replied the boy. ‘' You may have a chanco to identify him before long.” ** What ever became of the old man?” ‘‘ That's the question,” ** Missing?” * Yes, He hasn’t been seen since he landed here that summer morning.” Captain Poynter, the invalid policeman, looked at Daisy Dell for a moment and then said: ‘Call on me when you want me, I’m always ready for business!” _-—-_—— --- * CHAPTER X, STARTLING INFORMATION, THAT’S aqueer letter, 1t puzzles me not a lit- tle, and I can’t conceive what the writer means, It is addressed to me plain enough, and seems to be urgent enough to receive immediate attention, I guess I would better go.” ajor Manilla had read and reread the letter which the earliest carrier had left at the bouse for him. It was very brief, and could have been com- mitted to memory without much difficulty, There was about the missive just enough to ren- der it somewkat mysterious, and that is the p# that puzzled the major. An hour later he was on the street and on his way to the place mentioned in the letter, which ran as follows: - “Mason MANILLA:— “lf you will call at No. 444 O—— street at ten o’clock sharp to-morrow morning, you will find there a person who can givé you some very startlin and valuable information. If youare not in need o information of this kind please destroy this and re- main away. This is written in good faith, and by one who knows what he is wie about. ** KNOWLEDGE Box.” It was a curious letter, sure enough, and when the major decided to call at the number desig- nated he thought he was about to unearth a swindler of some sort. No, 444 O—— street was a small, unpreten- tious-looking house, with a sign of ‘* Boarders Wanted” hanging alongside the door, and the major had to ring twice before his call was an- swered and he could get into the place, He was at a loss to know how he should find the writer of the letter, but the woman who had opened the door came to his relief and asked him if he was not the gentleman who had received a letter to call at that particular hour? On saying that he was, he wasconducted up- stairs and shown toa door, where he was left with the injunction to walk in, which he didand found himself face to face with a middle-aged man who looked at him with a smile. P ‘6 So you thought you would risk it, did you?” said this person. ‘* Well, 1am the person who wrote the letter, and I think I have some im- portant news for you,” Major Manilla bad taken a chair and was waitivg for the man to proceed. ‘You will pardon me, but I think what I am golug to say is worth something,” he went D. ‘‘That depends on what I think of it,” was the reply. ‘‘Then, you are liable to get no information,” ‘‘ All right,” and the major rose and stepped across the room, The stranger assumed an independent look. ‘*How is monkey-hunting in Ceylon?’ he asked with a grin, That instant Major Manilla came to a halt and bis eyes became riveted on the man in the chair. ‘‘That’s a funny question to put to me,” said the major. ‘** But it stopped you, I see, just as I thought it would,” | There was no reply. ** You don’t want to know what I know, then? You are willing to let the unexpected come and take you unawares. Don’t you know tkat people who are sent away against their will are liable to come back?” Major Manilla came toward the man and dropped into a chair, ‘* Why don’t you go on?” he said, ‘* You say you havesome important news. Why don’t you display it?” ‘* T want what it’s worth,” ‘‘ How much is that?” ‘“‘T should say about one hundred dollars.” Major Manilla bit his lips under his brown mustache, ‘¢ 'What’s that amount to a man who can com- man? ten times that sum every day if he wants it? You don’t realize what might happen; you don’t seem to care, either.” ‘If I thought you knew something worth to me the amount you have named, I wouldn’t stop a moment.” “Tf I don’t give you your money’s worth you can bave it back,” Major Manilla counted out some bills and laid them on the table between them, ‘Tf I think the information is worth that to me, the money is yours; if I conclude otherwise, I shall take it back.” ** That is fair.” Then Andy Atom’s partner settled back in his chair and eyed the other like a hawk. ‘“T am going to come to the matter at once,” said the stranger. ‘‘ The other day the Gadfly, an English vessel, reached this city. She came almost direct from the South Seas, where she bas been on a trading trip with the natives, Among her passengers was @ boy who came back with a purpose, and you may guess what it is without my telling you.” There was a loss of color in the major’s face when the speaker paused. eT 1 a to be a passenger on the same vessel,” he went on, ‘‘I have been in Ceylon these ten years. I ran across the boy at one of the ports of the island, and he bad just come in I : 5 Cc | @) - ALLS s Bip Py ag A ' J