Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 757 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

> Tt i ~ : A Detective Frank’s Sweep- Minden ctied is ORE ROM eS i. ‘<Tt’s lucky we’ve got nothing to be ashamed of,” answered Mr, Halfish. ‘‘ ‘The lad does his duty very well, and his besetting sin is a very innocent one,’ “Tt is a pentoundadls prying one,” rejoined George. “If he tries it on me, by Jove! Dll give the young ferret some history that will as- tonish him. I suppose he would swallow fairy tales as easily as facts?’ “‘ Quite likely,” answered Mr, Halfish with a laugh. ‘ Folks with an a petite for information ought to have plenty. ou’ll likely find him ready to believe anytbing, po doubt,” Frank entered at this moment in his usual de- mure manner. ‘‘T saw Mr. Jones, of Jones & Wilson, sir,” he announced respectfully. ‘‘ He said it was not necessary to write; I could carry his mes- sa ay ‘Very well; what was his message?” as Frank stop d speaking. e will be on ’Change at three P. M., and hopes to see you there,” ‘ Ah} that will do.” ** Is there anything else, sir?” * Not just now.” *‘ Shall [ go out into the store, sir?” ‘Yes; I will send for you if I need you.” “ Thank you, Mr. Halfish.” Frank turned with a respectful bow, and left the office. As the door closed, George Dodge broke out into a laugh. ** What sort of clay is the fellow made of?” he asked. ‘‘ There must be some boyish deviltry under all that show of pussyism. By Jove, ve half a mind to take the youngster in hand and show him something of dife. Us fun to shake off the bark from young piety.” ok nt remenl do it, George. enou n’t trust me,” answered George, laughing, " i would like nothing better.” He left the office as he spoke, with a very merry face, throwing jokes to the clerks in the outer office as he passed through. He bad not got far into the store when Frank returned, and entered the inner office, where Mr. Halfish still sat. The boy’s manner was now very different. ” Well!” said the merchant, looking up ques- tioningly. ‘‘ You have had two wee s, Frank, Have you struck any clew?” “Have you missed anything since I have been here?” asked Frank, helping himself easily to a chair. ‘‘ Nothing. The mysterious thief seems to have suspended operations,” ** Has any hint—” *“‘Abeut you? No.” ‘** Then he has stopped on general principles. Smells a rat, very likely. Do the folks in the store know about these robberies?” ‘¢The whole matter bas been an secret,” ‘‘ Then either our thief is one that knows the secrets of the office, or hasseen you in conference with detectives. He knows that you’ve missed the stolen goods; you ¢an count on that.” ** Nobody knows the secrets of the office, but Iand my partner. Unless you—” ‘‘T’m an oyster, Mr, Halfish, I take in, but I don’t let out.—As for these two wecks, I’ve spent them in finding out who pecpleare. Got to know the sort of goods I’m to handle before I begin to deal,” ‘George Dodge says you're an excellent ex- ample of a patent suction- gwen of ‘* He does, eh?” Frank looked up quickly. * se dropped onto that, then? I must have umping too lively, Anything else?’ - ares gown try it on him he is going to load you up with fairy tales.” ** Good!” laughed Frank, ‘‘I rather take to Mr. Dodge. He’sa jolly fellow, And, bless you, won’t I swallow his fairy tales for the solidest sort of facts!” ‘That is not all, He wants to stake you up, and see if there is any of the genuine boy in you, He vows you bave been made wrong, and says he will take out and show you something of life in New ** The blue sladaa he will!” cried Frank. ‘* My he must think me a green one! But, won't that be a neat bit of sport!” “*1’'d rather you’d not go with him,” answered Mr. Halfish. ‘' George is a little bit fast, and you’re only a boy. Take my advice, Frank, and refuse to go, You'll learn evil fast enough, without George Dodge’s lessons,” ‘¢ Past, is he?” asked Frank, “Rather. Of course,I don’t know much about him outside the store. He is only a little of a Bey young man about town, that’s all.” He seems thick with your head salesman. He will learn soon Mr. Harry Brown.—What sort of a man is that?” Mr. Halfish started slightly at the question, and answered quickly: “A quiet, innocent sort of man, I fancy. Have you—” ‘* Nothing, sir. All I can say now is, that when I get solidly down to watching, Brown will be one of the men watched,” At this moment there was a knock from out- side, and at Mr. Halfish’s ‘‘ Come,” a clerk en- tered, ‘*Do you want me any longer just now, Mr. Halfish?” asked Frank, respecttully. ‘* No; you may go, ” Frank walked quietly out into the store, where he spent the next hour or two lounging about, occasionally passing a word or two with salesmen who seemed unoccupied, and keeping his ears wide open for all that was said in his hearing. The establishment of Dodge & Halfish was an extensive one, with a large and showy retail department down-stairs, and wholesale rooms on the second and third floors, The spacious base- ment was devoted to packing purposes, The building was well-filled with costly goods, the whole representing a large value in money. The employees were numerous, consisting prin- cipally of salesmen in the retail and wholesale departments, packers and shippers, and count- py Tr clerks, ltogether there was a large number amon whom to seek the mysterious thief, who hac hitherto conducted his operations so skillfully that not a trace had been found, The shrewd boy perceived that it might need many weeks to run down the cunning fox. But at any moment something might give himaclew, Incessant vigilance was his role, and keen investigation was required of the life ani habits of any one whom there was reason to doubt, ‘*So far, I’ve only struck one point,” he said, ‘Innocent Harry Brown, wit his wife and three kids, is a gambler, and a losing one, His salary w on’t stand much of that, and it’s got the strain on itnow, From his look that night bis purse is mighty light, If he’s our man he’ll soon have his claws on again. ‘¢ And it’s a curious thing that George Dcdge knows all this and is covering it up. This may be pure friendship, but Mr. Dodge bad a queer laugh that night. I ain’t just got his measure yet. He’s a chestnut with the burr on, and I’ve got ae wait till it opens before I can see what’s inside, ‘** And then there’s Dick Wister, with his ‘aw—aw,’ and, bis fool get-up. What the deuce ishe on? He and Joe Smith ge $e it on a and I'd like to get my work in on them. 1 wonder if Dick’s game had anything to do with this job? ‘*Then there’s that woman! I know her like I know beans. She’s bobbing somewhere round in my brain, but | can’t no more get hold of her than I can of a flea. But I’m bound to find out who she is, somehow, if I have to invade that big Fifth avenue house,” At this point in his reflections he was inter- rupted by a call. “Mr, Dodge wants you, boy,” was the de- mand, “Very well,” answered Frank, respectfully, as he rose from his lounging attitude, Mr. Dodge was addressing an envelope as F rank entered the office. ‘*Here you are,” he said. ‘‘ Take this letter to its address, and wait for an answer, Be spry about it, my lad, “ About taking, or about waiting?’ asked Frank, ** Save your wit, youngster, till you are asked for it.—O1?, now. Frank took the letter and set off briskly. But on reaching the front of the store he stopped long enough to read the address: “MRS, FELIX MARCHMAN, ‘*No. —— Fifth avenue, ‘New YORK,” re stood as if he had received an electric shock. ‘‘Tf it isn’t the same number I'll be boiled for a mackerel!” he ejaculated. ‘* Who'd thought the way into that house was going to open out soeasy? I’mtowait,amI? I’]] wait and watch, for I’m bound to find out who that pretty-faced woman is, that [ know so well and don’t know so mightily. Here goes,” He set off as briskly as Mr. Dodge could bave desired, greatly elated at the way luck was playing into his hands, ee —— Or ne — —— _ — — CHAPTER IV. FRANK MAKES A BRACE OF DISCOVERIES THE alert messenger was not long in re aching the Fifth avenue mansion to which his letter was directed, and which he was so anxious to investigate, The opening door admitted him into a broad and showily-ornamented hall, with folding-doors on each side and a spacious walnut Stairway leading to the floor above, oa Does Mrs. Marchman live here?” he asked, ‘*This is Mrs, Marchman’s mansion, sir,” was the pompous reply of the liveried footman who had admitted him. ‘Then Id like to see her.” ‘“Your name, sir;—and your errand,” asked the important- looking servant, with an air of crushing haughtiness, Frank looked at the fellow froin head to foot, He wasn’t used to being questioned in this way, and decided to take the oral y gentleman down a peg. [ere’s my hat,” he said, ‘She'll find my name inside that, under the lining, Does your Honor think that she’d like to know my age, and how many potatoes I can eat at a meal?” The pompous lackey looked at the independ- ent boy as if he could bave swallowed him. ‘Your vame, sir, and your errand,” he re- peated in the same hau hty tone, ‘* My name’s George Washington Jenkins; my errand’s to bring your lady a letter from the. ‘Em- peror of China,” rejoined Frank, The boy had so long repressed bis natural exuberance, that he could not resist the temptation to let some of it outun this swelling Jeems, ‘*The letter,” replied Jeems, stiffly, with ex- tended hand and impassive face, ‘I will deliver it. ‘*) don’t believe you will,” said Frank, witha knowing wink, ‘I’m high -ecckalorum to the emperor, and pass in my own documents. Skip, old man, and tell the lady I’m on deck.” Mr. Pomposity looked at the impertinent boy as if hecould anzibilate bim. He seemed civided between the impulses to kick him out of doors and to deliver bis message, As it was, duty got the better of inclination, and he stiffly turned and ascended the stairs, leaving the triumphant boy leering at bim, with his tongue in his cheek. ‘¢ Tain’t the regular go,” said Frank to himself. ‘but I couldn’t help it, The fellow’s so blazing- ly blown out that I felt like sticking a pin in bim, Ireckon they raise this sort, like they do pug dogs, for big houses.” A few minutes sufficed for the pompous ser- vant to deliver his message. He returmed with an impassive countenance. ‘‘ Mrs. Marchman will see you,” he announced. ‘In the blue drawing-room. Door at head of stairs.” * All right, my jolly flunky. I knowed she <a Nobody backs water on the Emperor of bin With a familiar wink, that almost made Jeems explode, the tantalizing ‘boy walked up the stairs, feeling in his democratic heart that be bad only done his duty in affronting one of the minions of pride and aristocracy. The door of the room to which he bad been di- rected stood open, and within it appeared a tal) and showily dressed lady, with a face on whose youthful beauty of color and-feature middle-age bad made little impression, She awaited Frank’s advent with a smile of amusement. “What is your message?” she asked. ‘* You do not look much like a Chinaman,” ‘* Did that pigeon-brained idiet get that off on you?” queried Frank laugbing, ‘* Why, ma’am, was only guying him, The fellow’s made of wood and putty, with a lump of mud for brains, —I’ve got a letter for Mrs, Marchman, if that’s you, ma’am.” “From the Emperor of China?” she answered, with a stvile, as she held out ber band. ‘* No ma ’am; from Mr. Dodge, of Dodge & Halfisb.” ‘“Mr. Dodge!” she answered, with a quick change of tone. ‘ Let me have it.” ‘‘y am to wait for an answer,’ Frank, as he handed ber the letter. She took if from bis hand, with, as he fancied, a show Of nervous haste, and walked toward the upper end of the room as she tore open the en- velope and opened the letter. Frank watched her closely. Her back was to- ward him, but there were slight movements of her form ‘which to him indicated some excite- ment oremotion. She turned, afterra minute, with the letter clutched in her hand. “You will ‘*There is an answer,” she said, She paused as a gentleman entered the room, ’ announced need to wait some little time, and—” Cor n ows