Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 765 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

by es Bilas |S are eal ry ey a ihe gee I OPS 2 ‘ 7 it, we should be out of the woods, now, Un- fortunately, I have always been obliged to re- ply in the negative, What can we do, when we don’t know whether I am Isaac Moss or John Smith?” ‘*T don’t think that’s your name,” ** Candidly, I don’t, either, Let me look back: I came out of a severe illness, and found my- self here. Oddly enough, [ could remember nothing as to my past, I did not recognize any ove around me; all were strangers as far as I could tell, though the fact that I could remember nothing whatever of the past would have made it possible that I might have faced my own brother and not known him.” ‘* Did you ever have a brother?” ‘* Just what I wish I knew. Did I? That's the question, Did I ever have anybody but myself?’ ‘* You must have, sir,” Isaac Moss laughed, Betty and her serious, ractical way of taking matters, always amused im. ‘‘ Agreed! Well, as I was saying, I failed to get any light from my companions, here, They told me I had come here, given the name of Isaac Moss, remained two weeks, paying my board like a good fellow; and then fallen desperately sick of sometbing—l never have been able to find out what. When 1 goton my feet L was absolutely no good. I was sick in body, and my head was even worse off, My past was gone; utterly gone, That, as far as 1 knuw the gentleman, is the history of Isaac Moss,” The speaker smiled, but Betty did not. She had an idea that tiis lightness of spirit on his part, which she had seen before, indicated a state of mental aberration, and saw no joke in it, She shouldered her broom. ** I’m done, sir.” ‘““Oh; are you? Happy Betty!—you live in the domain of your broom, and, doubtless, have no ambition or thought beyond that department of life’s battle-field.” ‘* | ain’t half so much of a clod as yeu take me to be!” Betty retorted, resentfully. ‘* A clod? Bless me, I never thought of con- sidering you one, I beg your pardon, my girl; you are afriend whom I prize highly, and who has been very kind to me, You are a trump card, Betty. I hope 1 haven’t offended you?” ‘Ob! no, sir; I know you are my friend,” ‘‘That’s it exactly. And now, Betty, won’t you oblige me by looking into my affairs a little, and seeing if you can get any pointers out of the dragons who run this shop? The idea is strong in my mind that they know more about me than they let on. Can’t you pump them on the dead quiet, and see if they are really fooling me?” ‘*7ll do my best, sir.” *“*Good, my zirl! You and I will hang to- gether, whatever comes, If Lprove to bea prince in disguise I'll remember you handsomely. Get all the information you can, and you and I will divvy at the wind-up. How is that?” Betty was good-hearted, and she really liked Isaac Moss, so she was not backward in agree- ing to the proposal, She did not expect to learn that [sac was a prince in disguise, but she was quite willing to help any one who was in need, She promised in due form, and the young man did not suspect how much of a load she w''s tak- ing upon ber, young shoulders, She went out, and proceeded down-stairs. On the lower floor she met Mrs, Jacobs, who was the reputed head of the house, and a person of some peculiarities. Now, Betty was not considered a brilliant star in the intellectual firmament, but, like many another person, she was underrated, She was capable of more than she was credited with, and she was about to make an assault on Mrs, Jacobs's secrets when all ber plans were changed by a ring at the door, She was curtly told to answer the bell, and proceeded to do so, A flashy-looking man was standing there, and he inquired for the landlady. Mrs, Jacobs was near, and she took the mat- ter out of Betty’s hands with singular haste, She hastened to take charge of the caller, too, and conducted him to the parlor without de- lay, Betty looked wise, ‘“‘T wonder why it is he comes here so often since Isaac has been with us?’ With this mental question, she first looked sharply at the parlor, and then moved to the door, Mrs. Jacobs would have been amazed had she seen her scrub-girl deliberately act the listener, It was new work for Betty, but she soon de- cided she was to be rewarded, There was con- versation within’ she became a listener. Ae * iy Flipp — —_——_-_--—_——__ — eee “How is be getting on?’ asked a masculine | voice, ‘* No change,” Mrs, Jacobs replied, ** As fcolish as ever, eb?” “* He does not get the past back, nor have any gleams of reason, At all times he is perfectly docile, This makes it very easy for us,” ** Yes; but does not speak well for the future, if we sbould want him to grasp that lost past. lf he bas degenerated into a complete wreck, we have done our work too well,” ‘*Oh! I think he will come around all right. The drug was warranted to us, and ought not to fail. ‘Ought not, does not go. If we have made the man an idiot, be will never be of any use to us; that’s all. He ought to begin to pull himself together, if he’s going to at all.” ‘“* That’s a fact,” ‘* How often do you see him?” ‘*T go up every day.” ** Who else?” ‘* Abe, my husband; and the girl,” *‘)’ve noticed her, So you allow her to be around him?” ‘* Why, of course, Don’t look so surprised; Betty ain’t capable of doivg any harm if she was paid forit. The girl is a dunce, or next door to a know-nothing.” Listeners hear no good of themselves, it is said. It was so in this case, as Betty fully realized. She was not a revengeful person, but her eyes flashed at these uncon:plimenutary remarks, ** We'll see about that!” she muttered, **1’m beginning to get uneasy about this mat- ter,” confessed tae visitor. ‘‘ You will remem- ber I was never satisfied with your ranch, here, as a refuge. Now, bow about your other place?” ‘* That’s all right.” **T am of the opinion it is safer than this. I wish you would speak to Abe, and see what he thinks about moving Moss to said house,” ** Abe is away, just pow; but what of it? Iam boss here, and don’t you forget it. If you want any change, I am the one to talk to,” ‘* All right,” returned the man, laughing. ‘*T had as soon deal with you as any one else, Shall we change the prisoner to-night? Once we get him to the other den, be may as well bid come ig to the world until we see fit to let up on im. ‘* Perhaps it is safer, and if you say the word, off he goes, If we move late at night we shall be safe enough.” ‘* Enough, then, We will carry out the plan. ll have a carriage here in due time, and all can be done on the dead quiet.” Betty listened further, but heard nothing which gave ber light as to the mystery of Isaac Moss’s life. He was the prisoner of the people of the house; that was all Betty knew, or could make out, When a stir in the room indicated that the caller was going, the girl retreated to a safe distance, ‘*So I don’t know nothing?” she muttered, resentfully. ‘‘My lady, I have known folks to make a big mistake; perbaps you bave made one, now. The ‘know-nothing’ may prove danger- ous, after all,” Betty was wronging herself by giving these words a thougbt. She bad more of intelligenco and quick wit than even her best friend, Isaac Moss, suspected; but these qualities never had been given a chance to assert themselves, Early left an orphan, she had been a veritable slave all her life. She had scrubbed for Mrs, Jacobs, and never had the shadow of a reward; and long-continued abuse and neglect bad naturally made their mark, Now, light was dawning upon her. “Pll go to Isaac,” she declared; “‘and if he can yet strength ter stand, we'll see who comes out ahead!” CHAPTER III. EVIDENCE IN RED. FLIPPER FLYNN shook his finger at Roger Hethington. ‘* Now, don’t you get cast down,” the Street Patrol advised, ‘*‘ What ef you bavo gota no- tice ter quit this earthly sp’ere ten days hence? You ain’t obliged to doit, be ye? Ef you heva tenement in New York, you’ve got to live up ter laws 0’ the State you hang out in; but you can’t be'dispossessed from the world jest ’cause you hev made yerself obnoxious ter some critters. Brace up, Roger! I wouldn’t die, ef ’s you. Nary time!” This advice had due effect. ‘Tam not a coward,” the Englishman replied: ‘but that thing don’t iook pleasant,” He pointed to the gravestone, the Street Patrol. * Right you are, my friend. Secha gift isa corker, I will admit, but you sre still in it,” ‘*] am,” Hethington declared, “ The thing came so suddenly, 1 wasupset, Now, 1 amcalm, again. Let us look into the matter,” They went forward to the gravestone, The inscription, which gave Roger just ten days to jive, was well and neatly done, It spoke of the event as one already past, yet the date was one of the future; but he had the novel experience of standing there and reading the record of his alloted fate, lf the plans of his enemies went not awry, he was not long of the earth. A grim-appearing thing was the stone to him, but the Patrol pro- ceeded to look atit critically. “Kind of a cheap concern fer a serious subject. This ain’t no royal marble, but jest a fake on the article. Itis made out of white oiled-cloth, or something o’ that scrt. See?” The statement was correct. The cloth was stretched over a frame of wood, and was a ‘*cheap concern,” but this did not change the main facts of the case, It was there, and the warning was just as plain as if put on more pretentious a surface, and engraven instead of painted, * Can you advise anything?” asked Roger. ‘*T kin; and the first thing is ter find out how this vallerable gift come ter_you.” ‘*Trne! Dll attend to it at once. Remain here, and [ will go down and see the landlady.” He went, and the Patrol killed time as well as possible while he was gone. When he returned he shook his head seriously. ‘“‘No use. The thing was brought by an ex- pressman, but they tell me there is noclew to his identity.” ‘* Then we are out, there, Whatelse have you in mind?” ‘*T rely upon you for that.” ‘‘ Mister, I am a genooine Uncle Sam youth, and that means i ama yard or more wide, an cut bias; but I ain’t infallible. I don’t claim ter be. You ain’t told me enough about yer case ter put me fully on.” ‘‘‘You shall know all. My brother, Lionel, came to America to see the country. All word from him ceased, but when I wrote for informa- tion, an answer came from unknown parties. They boldly announced that be was a prisoner with them, and held for ransom, I came over, but failed to get tidings fromm the crooks, as they bad promised. Then came word from a woman that, if I would meet her, I should have the news 1 desired. I came; you have seen the result,” ‘* Didn’t she let on anything?” * New: The Englishman answered promptly, but Flip- per Flynn’s growing doubts were not lessened, He did not feel sure be was getting all the facts in the case, If anything was being kept back, it was not a desirable job to be assistant to Roger. ‘* From a word the woman let drop, I bave an idea we migbt with profit go to a house known as the Cozy Cove,” added the Englishman, after a pause, ‘‘ Will you accompany me?” ‘‘] reckon I will; though it’s a resort not as safe asa church.” For one so unsophisticated, Roger did not show much Zeal to learn what the Patrol could tell of the Cczy Cove. He asked nv questions, but prepared to go. They went out, and were soon at the door of the establishment so alluring- ly named, It was simply, as far as could be seen, a hotel of the run-down, seedy order, Flipper Flynn knew it of old. He could not say it bad a doubt- ful reputation, but it was the resort of sporting- men, and he had seen those pass its doors who were not unlike sharpers and crooks in appear- ance, Hethington entered without hesitation. Once in the main room, bowever, he began to show some doubt. Helooked around carefully, noting al] who were present. The Patrol awaited the result without anxiety. If he was to be pre in the dark, bis new ac- quaintance could play his cards to suit bim- self. One of those present seemed to inter- est Roger, and be finully walked over to bim and spoke in a low voice. Now, Flipper was sure he was not wanted in this conversation, but he Jabored under the im- pression that, if he was to be assistant to any one, it was his privilege to know what was go- ing on. He did not hesitate to getinear enough to over- hear the talk, “Friend,” began Hethington, “‘ were not you present when I was in here before?” | ‘“‘T remember seeing you,” the stranger ad- mitted.