Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 744 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

af AL ‘ ; a! (ey, 2 °° 4 \ ee -~ i* 4 4 : 4 a >< % + éu*® > _ a ‘“Oh! yes; she has been seen here. In some way she was rescued by the young cub you drowned to-night. I’m glad he is out of the way.’ Richard Henry smiled grimly. **Wal, I'll agree ter get the gal ter-morrer night,” promised Jake, “ unless the folks here is kept up a-grievin’ fer the kid,” ‘They would be fools to do it,” ‘¢The kid was bright, anyhow,” * But not enough so to beat you.” **Not much,” Jake agreed, complacently. **Get this job off your hands as soon as you can, and then look to Bat Magoun, [am sure that knave played me false. I do not for a mo- ment doubt that he attacked Aleck Goodwind and got the paper away, but if so, he is holding it, bimself.” ‘*T never did like Bat, an’ I'll smash him with pleasure. Et’s right in my perfesh’nal line, ye see,” Jacob added, with dignity. ‘ All right, but attend to the gir), first.” ‘¢ Pl] gobble her ter-morrer night,” ““Good! Now, let’s move on, and avoid all risk of discovery.” F They went, at once, leaving Dick chuckling in great good humor, ‘Gobble her, will ye?” he muttered, ‘* Not ter-morrer night. Ill hev a whole regiment of perleece, ef necessary. An’ so it reely was Cyrenus who set the robbers on ter Good wind? That’s prime! I like dead-sure facts when I kin git them, an’ [’'m gettin’ points enough on Cy ter fill up a war-bulletin from Europe, b’gosh !” he door-bell rung, and Dick answered it, He found his uncle, the undertaker, there. ‘* News for you, Richard,” was the announce- ment, ‘I have further word from Bat Magoun, and he wants the burial to take place this very night.” ‘*T s’pose you said Yes?” **The fellow’s ignorance so surprised me that I almost told him that cemeteries had rules and regulations which would make such a bead- long course out of the question, but as hedid not ary any better, | thought it just as well to say nothing!” ‘*Unc, .you show a proper degree o’ hoss- sense, an’ I’m proud o’ you!” Dick declared. ‘* An’ is the funeral reely goin’ on?” ‘‘Tam to go to a specified point, at one o'clock, and get the coffin,” ‘** Prime!” ‘Of course we'll have the police on hand.” ‘“Waitafraction. Did Bartholmew plan ter take passage with yer ter the cemetery? ‘* No; he said he would trust all to me after he once delivered the coffin to me.” ** Jim-hickey! then we won’t hev no perleece inter it, I like the blue-coats, an’ them an’ me pull tergetber like two expert car-hosses, but it’s a lurid fact that the perleéce usually make a botch of their jobs, They tell the re- porter fellers, an’ then the newspapers publish the facks from Gowanus Bay ter Walla Walla, an’ put every crook on his guard. D’ye foller me, unc?” a You state only the truth, But what is your idea, ‘* Take the coffin right ter your shop.” ** And then?” . See who it is—ef anybody! W’ot ef the coffin should be empty?” ‘Richard, 1 always thought you a frivolous humbug, but you have a long head, after all. Ill do as you advise, and you shall aid in the adventure,” CHAPTER XT, | THE COFFIN CLEW. MIDNIGHT was close at band, and prepara- tions were begun for the next step. Bat Magoun had been anxious that no one should know what kind of a burden he was getting rid of, and had stipulated that Mr, Brazer should bave a wagon of innocent appearance, rather than a hearse, The outfit was made ready, and at the ap- oe hour the undertaker and Dick started or the scene of action, On their arrival they found the alley to which reference had been made, and Brazer drove into its shelter, A side door cpened and Bat Magoun appeared, : **So you’ve come?” he spoke, somewhat nerv- ous! Se i never am late ata funeral,” Brazer dryly answered, “* Everything seems clear, don’t it?” **Clear?” **T mean, nobody seems unduly interested in the case, Eb?” _ Dick of the Docks, the Night-Watch, ei "You're sure the gal is here, be you?” Jake asked. “Only us three are in the game. Don’t be worried. Bring out the freight!” Brazer spoke in an off-band way, to give the idea that he was indifferent to the finer feelings of life, and Magoun breathed a sigh of relief, Law-breaker and rough that the latter was, he feared detection enough to be timid now the rest of the job was to be intrusted to a stranger. [t was a good deal of satisfaction to bear Brazer speak like one both bold and unscrupulous, ‘*Ef you'll give me a lift on the box, Dick kin vi with the team,” Bat suggestod. his plan being approved of, Mr, Brazer went in, but he, Magoun and another man soon ap- eres carrying a rough, coffin-shaped box, his was duly placed in the wagon, and when the latter was closed at the back part the cover concealed the gruesome load from the chance passers On the street. ** Anything more?” Brazer asked, **'Yes; wait a bit.” The two principals hurried into the house but returned, presently, carrying a slab of marble, ‘* Put this at the head o’ the grave” Bat di- rected. ** Is it inscribed?” ** Yes; all ready for use.” The stone was put into the wagon, and tben Magoun said that nothing remained undone, He bad several warnings to give, however, and grew so nervous that he once spoke of taking the trip with the others; but when the under- taker carelessly remarked that it was unneces- sary, Bartholomew changed his mind, Dick was nervous lest some mischance should rob them of their prize, but Brazer took things coolly, showed no baste, and finally backed his horse out of the alley as nonchalantly as if the business was trivial, ‘** Be careful!” Bat continued. “ All right,” ** Dodge all the cops you can,” ‘6 ¥en.” Brazer touched up his horse and drove away. The last that was seen of Magoun he was looking after them anxiously. ‘* He’s afraid he will git snaked inter perleece- quarters,” Richard commented, “ but I ain’t no pity fer him, Great Scott! w’ot sort of an inno- cent is be ter think folks kin go ter the cemetery an’ bury coffins ez off-hand ez they would goats in Harlem?” Mr. Brazer did not test Dick’s knowledge of the art of interring Harlem goats, but drove on steadily, Now and then they passed a patrolman, but none of them gave particular heed to the orderly team, and in due time they drove into the passage connected with the under- taker’s shop. . The Night- Watcher made haste to close the big door next to the street, and then they were frie from observation, ‘*There’s letterin’ on that gravestone!” Dick then announced, * an’ I want ter see it, I want ter know why they mean ter advertise her death ef they want the burial so secret. Bat is pretty foxy, but he ain’t the only gent in this case, Armed with a lantern he climbed into the wagon again, The first thing that impressed him was the fact that the stone was not fresh and clean, but dingy, and patched,.nere and there, with bits of moss, as if it had been in use for some time, He read this inscription eagerly: ‘* MARGARET ALDRIDGE, AGED 49, Born Aug. 12, 1837, Died Nov, 28, 1886.” ‘What do you make of it?’ Mr. Brazer asked. ‘* Say, be I ahead o’ time, or is this the year 1889?” ** Tt is 1889,” ‘¢ Wal, this stone says she died in 1886,” ** That’s odd,” **T reckon it wa’n’t so odd when the stone was cut, Ef I ain’t ’way off my reckonin’ that article bas been in use before. Et ain’t fresh in no .way, an’ et strikes me it may hev done duty already at the bead o’ some mound,” The undertaker gazed thoughtfully at the stone, He noted the facts mentioned by his nephew and his judgment confirmed all that Dick had surmised, ‘‘He wants people to think that the death occurred three years ago,” Brazer murmured, ** But why?” Dick shook his head, ‘*T give it up,” ‘ é5 ‘ * ites “ a% ue “a SE 4:3 : cs ** And how does it happen that the stone was cut three years + eC seems probable,” A flash of intel **Say, ef there is a woman in that box, she is, accordin’ ter Bat’s plan, ter be buried under a name that wasn’t hers,” ‘* By George! that’s the idea!” Brazer agree, ‘* It is just the scheme they are trying to work. She and Margaret Aldridge were two iifferent on pa but the idea is to have it that some- ody died three years ago, instead of now, Puz- zling, very puzzling; but you have undoubtedly struck the main facts of the case.” ss a I opine that the coffin ain’t got a human in “You may be right; we'll see,” Brazer procured tools fitted to chat use and forced up the cover of the box, Inside was a regular coffin, and he next gave attention to the cover of that receptacle, He raised it carefully, ‘* Gee-whillikens!” Dick exclaimed, ‘** You had better stand back, Richard.” **T ain’t nervous,” Mr. Brazer had seen just what of all things ho did not expect. In the coffin was a skeleton, Around it was wrapped a woman’s faded and mildewed dress, and an abundance of human hair lay near the head. ‘*They’vedug up a person long dead!” Rich- ard uttered, with a lowered voice, But the undertaker, after a long glance, made answer: ** Thank heaven, it is not so bad as that, Your suspicions are-natural, but incorrect; my long experience enables me to say this confidently, We have here another trick on Magoun’s part, Seen now, it looks as clumsy as most of bis work, but if he had succeeded in getting the coffin consigned to the earth, a few years might have made the cheat plausible,” ‘** W’ot is the riffle? | “The things you see here were all gathered especially for this occasion. The appearance 0 the skeleton leads me to believe it was obtaine from a doctor, or medical student, and ‘t is likely that the same doctor who gave the certifi- cate also furnished this object. Possibly, ke gave the hair, too, while the dress may have been from any source,” ~ “ You figger it up naturally.” ‘* And correctly. No grave was robbed to get these things,” Both investigators experienced a feeling of relief. Whatever might be the scheme of the crooks, there was no grave-robbing further than the taking of the head-stone, The coffin contained no further evidence, When satisfied that they bad found all that could be gained, they stored all these articles in an out-of-the-way place, and their work was done for the time, | ‘‘Tm goin’ ter find out who Margaret Al- dridge was,” declared Dick, as he prepared to go home, ‘ Fer ter-morrer my work is ter look up the history of Gurdon Maclay, an’ the job ought not ter be hard, fer he was {a land-owner an’ railroad schemer, Once lI git his history, I guess I'll hev plenty o’ light.” CHAPTER XII. THE SKULKER’S KNIFE, , A FARM-HOUSE in New Jersey, a few miles from the North River; an old man, sitting on the piazza, dozing in the sun, Richard Henry Brazer walked into the yard and*to the house; and bis footsteps made the old man stir out of slumber, ‘Is Mrs, Cummings in, sir?’ Dick asked, ‘My daughter, sir; my daughter,” returned the old man, ina cracked voice, ‘ No, sir; she isn’t in. Gone away for the day; gone away, I’m alone, except the children, I am Napoleon Jones, at your service: N. Jones, formerly fish- merchant,” ‘I'm sorry Mrs, Cummings is away.” “IT can do the business, sir; can do all busi- ness, Yes, yes; I was a ‘business man, Fish- merchant, at your service. Business man! Speak out!” . ) Dick saw that his companion was no longer of strong mind, but he decided to come to the int, ) ‘“T wanted to ask Mrs, Cummings if she ever knew anything about the late Gurdon Maclay.” ‘Did she? Why, she was his housekeeper.” | ‘*So ve been tol’ in New York, an’I come ter her as one iikely ter know as much of his private affairs as anybody slse, Do you think she could enlighten me, sir?” ‘*She could tell you all about him, young man, All? No, no; for J am the only person that knows all! I know a secret about bim that I never told toa living soul. Ha! hai” igence came to Richard’s face, .