Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 765 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

Flipper Flynn, the Street Patrol. ‘*Do you remember who was with me?” ‘Mr. Dunning, wasn’t it?’ ‘* Was that bis name?” asked Roger, eagerly. * He is a gentleman with a strikingly red mus- tache, and hair scarcely less bigh-colored.” ‘*The very same, Now, can you tell me where I would be likely to find him?” ‘** Beyond doubt, over at the billiard-room; or up in bis room.” ** So he rooms here?” 4 Yes,” Thanking this timely informant, the English- man turned away. He was evidently bound to see Dunning at once, and Flipper, who bad come to the conclusion to bave no more to do with the affair, changed his mind and decided to take in ope more act in the drama. The billiard-room was at thorear of the hotel, and to that place Roger went at once. ‘ You’re a wily rat, mister,” soliloquized the Patrol, ‘* but don’t you get the notion inter yer head that you kin bev me fer a helper, and keep me in the dark. It might @oin some cases, but you are rubbin’ eibows with crooks, aow. They ain’t the “1 p91 o’ men it is safe to monkey with, If you an’ I rnn in pairs, | come inter the whole lay-out.” Unconscious of the rebellion in his own camp, Hethington proceeded to business, The man he wanted was not in the billiard- room, but on inquiring for Mr. Dunning, he was carelessly informed by the man in charge of the tables that Dunning’s room was to be reached by going up the back stairs. ‘* Number 23,” he added, i turned to Flipper. ‘* Wait for me here,” he directed, ** Mister, you want ter look a little out.” **T know; it’s all right.” Answering impatiently, he hastened up the stairs, ** Don’t know whether it’s all right or not,’ mused the Patrol. ‘*‘ You are runnin’ this cir- re but the show may be w’ot you don’t look Ga Believing that he, at least, could affcrd to be philosophical in the matter, the speaker sat down and proceeded to wait for Roger. Time passed and he did not come, Finally, each min- ute brought the growing impression that the matter was becoming suspicious, The Patrol might bave been forgotten or thrown over, but the Englishman had seemed very much pleased to get him as a recruit. editating on the point, Flipver euded by making a bee-line for Number 23, No one ob- jected, or, indeed, seemed to notice his move- ments, Tue door was one of several which opened off from the ball. The Patrol knocked, There was no answer, “Come out o’ that!” Flipper muttered. ** You've got ter show oe He thumped briskly this time, but no answer was retur ied. His oats was equal to the requirements of the case. He opened the door, He saw a comfortable apartment, and that was all; no one was visible, ‘* Well, now, that’s odd! Kin Roger hev give me the dump? Don’t think it, by gum.” For several moments he stood and looked in silence, The empty room would not have im- pressed him so forcibly had not he been in just ths mood to doubt; he had started in on sus- picions before the disappearance was known. Hesitating for a while, he entered the room, ‘* Bad biz fertyou, old chap, ef you git ketched. Nobody would believe you was a square gent, ef you got dropped on in this,” The thougbt was enough to make him draw back, but as he did so something not before seen caught his attention. It caused him to start back abruptly. ‘* Great guns!” he exclaimed, For on the white spread of the bed he bad seen a strange red stain. He touched his finger to it, ** Blood !” He whispered the word in a busky manner, Blood!—and fresh and wet! The discovery up- set his usual coolness, When he took his gaze from the spot it was to look around with appre- hension, Perhaps danger menaced him, too, Did this stain point to missing Roger? CHAPTER IV. MYSTERY IN ANOTHER ROOM, FureperR FLYNN recovered his nerve some- wh t. He looked around the room for some sign of a struggle. None was to be seen, All was as much to rights as if the chambermaid had just finished putting the place in order, ‘* Ef tragedy’s been done, it wasa neat stroke,” he -ommented, For a moment he was inclined to doubt his own opinions, but one does not like toabandona theory. He became more settled in his belief, ‘* Roger bas got it in the neck, sure. Yes; an’ I’m hkely ter bring up the same way, ef I don’t geta move on, Ill move!” Deciding thus he left the room, but was not in time to avoid the encounter he feared, At the door he met an old gentleman. Now, Flipper was too shrewd to act the skulker, and be held his bead well up as be tried to pass on in silence. This he was notable todo, The old gentleman sto pes squarely in front of him, ‘*Ts Mr, Duuning in?” he asked. ‘‘The place is keepin’ itself, jest now. All out,” ‘*T wanted to see him,” So did Flipper, but he was willing to defer re- vealing the fact, He intended tosay farewell to the vicinity without delay, but just then tho door of the next room opened, A lady’s dress was briefly seen, but she retreated abruptly on catching sight of others, The man exhibited surprise, and directed: ‘* Wait a bit, my young friend; I may want to see you further.” He opened the door, himself, and the Patrol decided to delay. He bad seen an invisible something, as it were, in all this which was worth looking into, The old gentleman did not close the door after him, and Flipper improved the§chance to use his eyes and ears, Standing near the window was a young wo- man. She was neatly dressed, and, in every way, had an appearance of respectability which was hardly to be looked for there. So might a Murray Hill heiress have appeared, thought the Patrol. But this did not long hold his attention. Something else was there to call wondering no- tice. Sbe was agitated; painfully agitated; and her eyes were full of undried tears, Evi- dently, she had just had a fit of violent weep- ing. f Why, Viola, what is the trouble?’ the old gentleman demanded, in shocked surprise, She struggled to regain composure, ** Nothing,” she returned, “ Nothing, anil you in such a mood! That is impossible. Have you heard bad news?” ‘‘T have hear! none,” “Then what does this mean?’ Thus far she had kept up the conversation with a degree of fictitious composure, but she had reached the limit of endurence, She burst into tears which were accompanied with bysteri- cal emotion, . ‘* Bless me!” her companion murmured, still more amazed, Flipper felt rather guilty of standing there to witness what was, perhaps,a grief in which he could have no possible interest; but the fascina- tion was not to be resisted. These persons, or one of them, at least, knew Dunning. If he wanted to work for Roger Hethington, no chance must be neglected to get on in that mat- ter; so ae kept his position and looked inno- cent and calm, ‘*My dear,” the old gentleman persisted, “you break my heart with your distress, If you will be calm and tell me—” Up sprung the girl, and passionately she ex- claimed: ‘‘ Will you let me alone? Am I a clod that you beat upon me thus? I want to be let alone!” Her companion gazed at her in a dezed, dum- founded way. Evidently, be was not used to hearing such words from ber lips, and the out- burst left him speechless. It was she who first recovered her calmness, Her anger went as suddenly as it bad come, and she remorsefully implored: “ Father, forgive me! I must have been mad, I don’t know why I spoke thus; I did not know what I was saying.” ‘* My dear, far be it from me to blame you at this time, I can plainly see you are in deep sor- row, and I have no word of censure, But tell me what the trouble is,” Viola stood in silence. The explanation he craved did not come, There was a long lull, and Flipper was of the opinion it would grow longer before Viola divulged her grief, hatever it was, she plainly was not inclined to make it public property. **You say you have no bad news?’ pursued the father. **T did say so.” ‘*Then what can so distress you?” She hesitated, re another inclination to break into weeping, and then went forward and put ber arms around his neck, | ‘* Father, don’t let us say anything more about this, now,” she urged. ‘‘ You are too wise to I ee) wae 4 tok yon, $5 -_—*, nr _—__— ee eC eee ; : , i ; , - R- li ‘ - r Ah diye , ae (‘ 5 y % >» aa | O ° sl PRN ta! ds 2 heed the outbreak of a foolish girl, Let it goat. that, for 1 assure you it is—nothing!” The statement was well planned, but poorly executed, It wonld bave deceived no one; her grief was so very apparent, « child would detect the insincerity of ber final statement, Her father shook bis bead. He seemed to real- ize that it would be useless to say more, and, af- ter a little meditation, he turned to Flipper Flynn and gave him a secret sign to follow him out of the room, This the latter was not reluctant to do. Once in the hall, the old gentleman asked in a whisper: ‘** Do you urderstand this?” The Patrol knew of no reason why he should, but he replied with due gravity that be was un- able to grasp the meaning of it. ‘*Itis very unlike Vicla; I don’t see into it at all, She is usually of a very bappy disposition, It is beyond my comprebension,” ‘*Do you live here, mister?” * No; wecame only a few daysago, Viola is to be married.” ** Oh! is she? ‘‘'Yes, and to your friend, Mr, Dunning’s . brother, Harold Dunning.” Flipper Flynn put two and two together, and began to suspect that there was, perhaps, good reason for Viola’s sudden emotion. Had she beard something in the next room which was re- sponsible for ber mood? ‘‘ We live in St. Lawrence county,” went on the old gentleman. ‘*Iam a retired farmer, and my name is Erastus Stowell. Viola is my daughter. A year ago, a young man came u from the city to board tor the summer. This was Harold Dunning. He met Viola, and they at once became interested in each other, The result of it was, they are engaged in matrimony. Farold is a very busy man, and he suggested that my daughter come down here to be married. He said he would send a friend to escort her down, but, old as I was, I could not think of let- ting my only child be married without my being present. Iinformed him I would attend to that, and here we are. When we got tothe depot, however, Harold failed to meet us as he had planned, and we would have been in a fix but for one circumstance,” Flipper thought he saw bow matters were moving, and he bazarded the guess: ‘‘ Harold sent a friend, I s’pose?” ‘No. Once, when up country, he gave Viola acard which he thought was his, but it proved to have the name and address; ‘Gilbert Dun- ning, Hotel Ci zy Cove, New York,’ Of course he explained tbat this was his brother, and the fact that Vioia kept the card gave us the only clew to what todo, We came here—” * And Mister Harold ain’t showed vp?” ‘Not yet, but be is coming. Your friend, Gilbert, received us cordially, and sent word to bis brother, He has been very kind, Now, we are expecting Harold every minute,” ‘* Av’ Viola in tears!” ““Vbat is just what worries me, It will not be a pleasant way for bim to be received, if he finds ber in tears; and bow to prevent it, I don't know, What crn be the matter with ber?” ‘** Mebbe Herold bas been here, already.” ‘Then where is he, now ?” ‘‘That’s where tbe conundrum comes in,” wisely informed the Patroi. Flipper did not care to speak all that was in bis mind. He imagined he could see a g ways into this matter, If Viola’s lover was the brother of Gilbert Dunning be might be a ras- cal of the first water, and that was just what Flipper bad marked him down. e had heard of gay young meu from the city oing to the country and making love to un- sophisticated girls, before, Sometimes tbey were oe triflers; sometimes they were raged crooks. If Harold was of the latter order, it bad undoubtedly disarranged his plans not a little to have old Mr, Stowell decide to accom-~ pany bis daughter to New York. All this was to be studied out, but what meant Viola’s agita- tion. This could only be explained, the Patrol thought, by the presumption that sbe had in some way got an inkling of the truth. os Mr, Stowell was old, and he did not grasp these facts and suspicions at all. Footsteps sounded in the hall; Flipper looked up and saw a stylish young man approaching witb a quick, light tread. Stowell saw him, se and an expression of relief overspread his ace, ‘‘ Here’s Harold, now!” he cried, he young man’s face beamed in return, ‘“My dear Mr. Stowell, is it you? he very _ cordially exclaimed. ‘*I am most delighted to see you. And Viola—where is she?” oie “ You see, ‘ Fort \ ' Parlin oO