Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 757 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

ul Det from another, he skillfully lined and shaded the boy’s face, so changing his wig 2 ee tne he would not bave been known by an intimate friend, except on close inspection. ‘“‘Haven’t time to build you up from the ground,” Dick said, ‘‘ but if you keep in the background Brown won’t know you. Come, now, we'll see what is going on inside,” He walked into the drinking-room, followed by Frank, whose face looked four years older, from the artistic markings on it, Dick was once more the Cockney exquisite. ‘A private room, aw; with a chop and a double go o’ hale,” he said, in a drawling tone, to the barkeeper, ‘‘ Hold Henglish brew, you know.” ‘Ay, ay, sir! Jake, show this gent to Num ber Six. Follow that man, your Honor, and the chops and ale ’J] come brisk arter.” ‘** And don’t forget, aw—aw—that’ll do. Sharp up, you know.” Dick followed the waiter, with his nose in the air, and his cane-bead at his chin, Frank coming close in the rear. The bartender winked at his customers, “That’s a guy,” he said. ‘* Hamerican- Henglisb, you know.” He laughed satirically. ‘* Ain’t the ginuwine brand, nary time,” ‘** Pretty fair imitation,” answered one of the customers. ‘* But the chap ought to be ditched, for a counterfeit.” ** Bless my ’art, Joe, if we soaked all the fools there’d be few dry’uns,” rejoined the bartender. Meanwhile the two gents and the waiter had reached a small private room to the left of the bar-room. Dick looked doubtfully around this grimy apartment, ‘“‘Can’t you do better?” he asked. “This is the only private room we've got,” “That won’t wash, my gay fella,” answered Dick superciliously. ‘‘ We’ve had our eye teeth cut, Take us to number one, my lark,” The waiter looked at him sharply. ‘* Number one?” * Ay; back of number four, don’t you know.” “Oh, if you gents ison that? [didn’t twig,” said the waiter. ‘‘ You don’t want the chops avd ale, then?” ‘** Yes, if we can get a good chop out of a tiger’s hide, you know,” and Dick winked knowingly. ‘*T see, gents; come this way.” The man led intoa hall, and upa flight of stairs, At the head of these a short passage led to a closed door, on which he knocked in a pecu- liar manner. The door opened and revealed a well-lighted room, which was occupied by a considerable group of men, who were crowded arvuund a table in its front. A glance showed on the table a faro lay-out, while behind it sata dealer, mechani- cally handling the cards, At the side of the room was a sideboard, provided with decanters of liquor and light wine, Scarcely any attention was paid to the new- comers by those already around the table. They were too intent on the game, on which the most of them had money staked. Frank touched Dick’s wrist, and silently indi- cated a person who stood at the left of the table, his eyes very intently fixed on the cards which the dealer was handling one by one. He was a well-built, florid-faced, good-looking young man, whose nervous excitement of manner was not that of the hardened gamester. His guiet, plain attire was in marked contrast to that of a gentleman who stood beside him—a handsome, sharp-featured young sport, rather loudly dressed, They seemed friends and companions, for as the next card turned up the Jast named person laughed lightly, and said in easy carelessness of tone: “Tost, again! Come, Harry. Jonah’s swal- lowed the whale, this time, Fortune’s a fickle jade, you see, Let’s be off, before she strips a fellow of bat and coat.” The person addressed made no answer, but turned from the table with a half-despairing look, his face growing very pale, ‘* If this would only end it,” be said in a low tone, as they passed the two detectives, ‘‘No such good Juck as that,” answered the other ligbtly. “By Jove, Harry, | wish you would give up your bad habits, but there’s no hopes for an old gambler. It keeps me busy dragging you away from the table. He Jaughed in a peculiar fashion, while the only response of his companion was a deep ree The next moment the door shut behind them, Dick and Frank looked at each otber. ‘* Who is the sportive individual?” asked Dick, ‘““George Dodge, son to the old man, and as clever a fellow as there is in the store.” ‘‘ What the deuce is he laughing about? If \e (ete 8 situation better.” ‘Tears fron: him! Why he’s so light-hearted that he’d laugh if he saw his own coffin,” an- swered Frank, ‘‘ Well, what’s next? Are we to keep them in sight?” ** No, we've seen all that’s necessary, now. Did you notice Dodge come in here?” ‘Not I. He must have slipped in when my my back was turned,” ‘* He knows Brown’s weakness, that’s evident, and is trying to save him. Hang it, I took a different notion of this young man, But if he’s bucking the tiger at this rate there’s no telling how much he may have sunk, Dodge is loyal to him, 1t seems, but I fancy we’ve struck our man, Keep your weather eye on Harry Brown, my boy. He is our meat,” These words were spoken at the rear of the room, out of hearing of the gamblers, Dick now advanced, followed by his apprentice, and laid a few small bets on the table, all of which were quickly swallowed up by the greedy jaws of faro, f 5 sand gute turned carelessly away, followed by rank. ‘* You see what a sure thing itis, my lad,” he said. ‘‘Sure for the bankers, I mean. 1 have dropped a dollar or two into the tiger’s maw as a lesson to you to keep away, and not tempt for- tune in this shape.” ‘*T have no taste for it,” answered Frank. ‘If I had, Harry Brown’s face, just now, would have cured me of it. He looked ready to jump into the river.” ‘*'You’re right there.” They had now reached the street. ‘*Good-night, Frank; I have other work before me this evening.” They parted and walked away in opposite directions, though Frank’s walk was by no meansa rapid one, In fact, he was far from satisfied. The detec- tive instinct in him was so strong that even bis employers were not exempt from his thirst to investigate. He stopped after taking a few steps, and looked after the form of Dick Wister, rapidly disappearing in another direction. The boy laughed lightly to himself. ‘* Didn’t I twig bim neat?’ he said. ‘ He’s got up gay, too. I’d never knowed bim only for that twirl of his handkercber and the loud smell sweet he carries init. There must be somethiny deep afloat for Dick to get upin such a rig.— What is it? By the jumping Joseph I’m going to try and find out!” The next tninute he was walking in the same direction as the detective, who was then just visible in the distance. Frank continued at this distance in the rear. He knew too well the sort of man he was fol- lowing to track him very closely. If he want- ed to get on any of Dick Wister’s work, he must be sharper than Dick Wister, and that was not an easy task. The light of the street lamps barely revealed the figure in the distance, but there were few other persons in the streets they were travers- ing, so Frank had no difficulty in keeping his chief in view, For twenty minutes and more the pursuit continued, Dick walking straight onward, with- out deviation to right and left. They had now reached the fashionable quarters of tke city, and Frank drew closer up as the streets be- came more thronged, At length, the disguised detective turned a corner sharply into Fifth avenue, and disappear- ed. Frank hurried forward at nearly a run, fear- ing to lose him. hen he reached the avenue it was to see the detective on the steps of a mansion at some dis- tance up the street, his form clearly revealed in the light of a neighboring lamp. Frank moved cautiously onward, and was still some distance from the house when the door opened and Dick entered. ‘Getting high-toned, you are, Dick Wister,” said the boy to himself, ‘* Never knowed you was a Fifth avenoodle. I wonder if they deal some sort 0’ high-toned faro in there, or what is it? By gum, I'd give my hat to know.” He hurried up to the stately mansion, looked closely at its number, and took a mental record of the same, ‘*]’m bound to find out who lives there, before the world’s a day older,” he commented. ‘I know the cop on this beat, and if there’s any- thing shady he'll put me on it.—Now I reckon I’ve about Gone my night’s work, and I'll toddle off home.” But he didn’t. Instead, he seated himself on the steps of the mansion, and sat there swinging bis legs independently, and thinking deeply to himself, till half an hour had elapsed. | | | | | ective Frank’s Sweep-Stake. 3 his friend is going to Old Nick at such aspeed | ‘Don’t know what I’m hanging about here and he trying to stop him, tears would fit the | for,” he then said to bimself, ** Dick’s going to stay all night. Maybe I’d best—” His sentence was not concluded, for just then the door of the mansion creaked, and Frank slipped hastily from the step to the pavement. The next instant the door opened widely and steps and voices were heerd, ‘The young detec- tive was now coiled up like a ball in the dark re- cess at the bottom of the high stone steps. **'You see, miss, aw, as I was saying, you know,” came in the drawling voice of the coun- terfeit_ cockney, ‘‘ it’s not to be considered under the circumstances, don’t vou see.” ‘* Why, 1 may see when it clears up a little,” came in a soft, sweet, and half-laughing voice, ‘* But it is a little mysterious now.” **But, don’t you know, miss, you must think over it, and you'll find it as clear as—aw, J really declare, it’s past ten, and I must actually be going. Good-night,” ** Good-night,” came in the same soft tones, The disguisei detective walked away. The woman stood looking afterhim, Aftera minute, a low Jaugh came from her lips, and she said in amused tones: ‘** The fellow is as mysterious as the Sphinx, With his ‘aws,’ and his ‘don’t you knows,’ I know just about nothing. But I fancy he knows more, for he seemed to be on the search for in- formation about my guardian. I do wonder woat it all means!” Frank listened to these words like one it) a half-trance, It was much less what was said, than the voice which said it, that attracted his attention. He had beard that voice before— where? when? Hecould not remember, yet it was very familiar to bim. Eager tosettle this difficulty in bis mind, be half-rose and glanced upward, hoping to see the features of the-face of the woman above him. He was barely in time; she turned just as be rose; all he caught was a passing glimpse of ber side face, a tantalizing view, which more than ever convinced him that he knew her, yet left him in the same doubt that her voice had cone, The next instant she stepped back within the open door, and closed it behind her, ‘* Who in the world isshe?” the boy asked bim- self. ‘‘I know her as well asI know the nose ou my face, and yet she flies out of my memory like a swallow.—And what’s Dick Wister on, here! If there ain’t something here for me to get on the right side of, I'll sell out.” He walked slowly away, lost in deep thought. CHAPTER III. FRANK ON DUTY. THE new messenger had been two weeks on duty in the store of Dodge & Halfish, He was still the same demure and retiring lad he had ap- peared at first. After showing a trace of his true character to the proprietors, he bad fallen back into his assumed role, and the employees in the establishment looked on bim asa very modest and backward youth. He was kept moderately busy by the proprie- tors, though he bad considerable spare time, much of which he spent in wandering listlessly about the establishment; and it was noticed by some that, despite his unobtrusive manner, he seemed to have madethe acquaintance of about everybody in the store at theend of the two weeks, He had in reality, gone much further than this. He had gained from the proprietors some knowledge of the history and character of all their employees, which he had pieced out by quiet questioning in the store, among their friends, and their enemies where they bad any. In this way he bad already geined a fair work- ing knowledge of the people with whom he had to deal, a foundation for the work which lay be- fore bim. Frank’s incessant curiosity, however, attract- ed the attention of one person in the establish- ment, This was George Dodge, the good-hu- mored but sharp-witted son of the senior member of the firm. ‘* By Jove, for aspecimen of shy soberness, that new boy of yours is the most curious young rascal I ever ran across,” he said to Mr. Halfish. ‘“And the chap, quiet as he is, bas a very corkscrew faculty of getting hold of leading ints, He’s a born pump.” Mr, Halfish laughed, ‘*T noticed something of tbat in him,” be re- marked. ‘*The youngster bas an itch to know. He can’t keep quiet even in the office, and has ventured to ask me questions.” ‘Faith, be bas asked enough about you, and my respected paternal parent as well,” laughed George. ‘The rascal’s thirst for knowledge goes from top to bottom.”