Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 767 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

* = > ~~ = ” "wef - whose principal business is finding evidence in .. Aa Mac and Jack, the Invincibles. —_—--— ieee That was surprise number two, but number three—and the most startling—was yet to come, Sauntering along in a careless way, Mac stopped in front of the servant girl, thinking, as he did so, that once again the situations of Wilson and himself were reversed. being pulled—ripped all the way down the side, ! | | ‘‘Tgs Mr, Barret or Mr, Fulton at bome?” asked | | revealing trowsers matching the short sack. Having slipped on the patent leathers, Mac pulled a soft, dove-colored, hat from bis pocket, and, only that his voice reassured Maggie, she would have screamed for the police when he ap- peared before her, ‘** Arrah, bad ’ceas t’ ye!” he exclaimed on see- ing her start back in alarm, ‘‘ can’ta man change bis duds? ‘*Gimme a wet towel, quick!” Still trembling, Maggie obeved, and Mac be- gan scrubbing his face, While thus engaged, be managed to give Mag- gie her instructions: ‘*This laddybuck ’ll be here purty soon, t’ ax e what I wanted wud ye. ‘Tell bim ye wor. ookin’ fur a ‘ place,’ an’ that ye’r’ recomminded | t? Docthor Lewis, an’ that he sint afther ye, an’ | that ye haven’t decided yit whether ye’ll go or Stay. ‘* If he axes any more, get mad! ‘* W here’s me bat? **On! Here’s ten dollars—divide it, and take good care of those things up-stairs!” And, snatching up the hat he had left aside, | while scrubbing, Mac darted out, leaving | Maggie half-fainting, and uncertain whether, | after all, it was the “ hod-carrier” who came down-stairs. | When Mac’s face emerged from the towel, the last trace of the ‘** hod-carrier ” bad disappeared, and the astonished girl saw a fresh-faced young man with prematurely gray hair—a lasting me- mento of a terrible experience, The bang of the gate recalled Magyie to the fact that she, too, bad something to do, and, picking up the ten-dollar bill, she took her posi- tion at the gate, She had not long to wait, Five minutes after Mac bad left, a short, thick-set, loudly-dressed, | had passed. and altogether ill-favored fellow, came along ‘‘ What the deuce can be keeping bim so long? inquiring for ‘*‘ Maggie Sullivan,” and, before | Can it be possible that he lives there?” | Mac. The girl stared on hearing the first name, but replied: ‘ Mr, Barret hasn't been here since I came. He’s travelin’,” ‘* Ah, yes; [ had forgotten that,” blandly as- sented Mac, adding: ‘* And Mr, Fulton—he is in, I presume?” He made a step forward, as if about to ascend to the door, but the servant stopped him with the startling announcement; ‘*Mr, Fulton isn’t in town. There is no one here now but Miss Barret and her mother.” ‘*Thnank you,” returned Mac, as he walked away, stopping mechanically at the next corner to keep the house in view, He was simply paralyzed by what he had heard, for, if Fulton was away—and there was no reason to doubt the girl’s statement—then Wilson’s emplover must be Miss Barret or her mother! Could mother and daughter be opposed—or —but no, the detective could not believe that the beautiful girl who had engaged him was playing a double game. ‘* But, if the mother’s on the other side, how the deuce am I to see the danghbter, without ex- posing the fact that I am in the game? ‘*Pshaw! My brains must be wool-gathering. If that wasn’t known already, why would this fellow be following me?” Thus musing, and muttering occasionally, Mac continued to watch the house unti) an bour she got rid of him, Maggie was compelled to As this idea suggested itself to Mac, he saw a follow Mac’s suggestion, namely, ‘‘ get mad.” servant—a negro—coming out of the house next ‘Be off, or Vil call the police!” she threat- | the Barrets, carrying a bdesher. ened, and the baffled **‘ shadower” Jeft her. All the residents of the neighborhood were out of town, it was about ten o’clock, and this was not the first pitcher the detective bad seen traveling to the beer saloon on Fourth avenue. A man of fertile imagination, Mac quickly formulated a plan, and as the negro was pasting, hailed bim, ** Hello!” ha said, ‘‘ Going for beer?” ** Yas, sab, Boss doan’t min’ us gettin’ a little *foah we go t’ bed,” ‘*['m glad to hear it, for if youll give me a glass, 1’ll pay for the full of your pitcber.” ‘** Well, ye kin jes’ bet I will!” ‘*Good enough! Here’s a quarter.” The negro took the money, and soon returned with a foaming pitcher of batr, ‘* Kean’t ye come up t’d’ kouse?” he asked, looking curiously at Mac, ‘*Oh, yes: but I can’t go inside. I’ve got to stay on the sidewalk,” This, of course, added to the negro’s curiosity, and when be brought out a glass of beer, Mac still further increased it, by remarking: ‘* By George, that is good! 1 wasasdry as a fish, but didn’t dare go away.” ‘* Watchin’ a house?” hazarded the darky. rt Yes, and, being the first night, I’m afraid to stir. Mac was about to offer the negro a cigar, in order to keep bim in conversation, when the latter, remarked: ‘* Feller next door’s gota nice snap, Healthy watchin’ he does, Lives in 4’ bouse, gets bis meals dere, ’u’ goes t’ sleep jes’ d’ same *z d’ rest,’ ** Where?” ‘* Right nex’ doah, heahb, in d’ Barrets’ house. See him go in, ’bout ’n hour ’go.” ‘* Watchman eh?’ thought Mac, ‘ Watch- | man—at four dollars a day, and the same or more for the night? Well, I guess not!” CHAPTER XIII. SHADOWING THE SHADOWER. Mac chuckled as he saw his shadower driven away from the Hamilton residence, but was rather startled when he saw the latter’s face. The ** shadow ” was a private detective! Secure in bis disguise, Mac had stood leaning against an electric Jight, pale, watching the ‘*shadow” and Maggie,fand when the former was driven off, he passed close to the detective, who instantly recognized bim as Dick Wilson, an employee of one of the many so-called detec- tive agencies, ‘*Well! This is a funny caper, by Jove!” commeuted Mac, with a perplexed laugh, as he fell in behind Wilson, and began shadowing the ‘* shadow.” He knew the man and bis employers well, and neither bore a very good character— Wilson be- ing an ex-convict, and the agency of the class divorce cases, which they generally manage to do, according to the wishes of the man or woman who pays them best, cP this, Mac was sorely puzzled to ac- count for Wilson’s shadowing him, for he could not believe that Fulton (whom he suspected of being the mainspring of the wrong in the Barret matter), who was a man prominent in business and social circles, would have any connection with such people, But if Mac was puzzled when he began to take his turn at shadowing, be was dumfounded, fairly paralyzed, at the finish. Straight ahead went Dick Wilson, until, as they neared Madison Square, Mac began to sus- ct that, notwithstanding the character of the ‘ Bogus Detective Agency,” Mr, Fulton was their employer, _ Except that Wilson bad been an occupant of ‘* By Jupiter! Now we know our gentleman | the Barret house, since the family had gone to for what he is!” | the country, the negro could tell nothing further, This exclamation was caused by Mac’s seeing | and, with the excuse that be *‘ must keep mov- his former ** shadow ” turn into the old-fashioned | ing,” Mac hade his informant ‘* good-night.” Barret Mansion, x | . He was puzzled as to whether he should risk a Not only did Wilson turn in there, but, in- | visit to the Barret residence or send for Miss stead of ringing for admission, he took a key , Barret. from his pocket, with which he opened the door, ‘This Wilson’s followed her,” thought Mac, And a servant, leaning on the gate, did rot ; and that’s bow my connection with the matter seem to remark anything unusual about this ex- | became known. felon entering the milliovaire’s residence! ‘‘If I send for ber to-morrow, she'll be fol- “Great Scott!” ejaculated Mac, as he saw the | lowed again, and thus remove any dust I may ex-convict pass himself into the house, bave thrown in that fellow’s eyes to-night. ‘Evidently this is nothing new, That fellow| ‘If I gothere— By George, I’ve got it! I'll is as much at home there as the unfortunate | use that boy—Joe, she calledhim, Hecancarry owner formerly was,” my questions, and keep me posted. : / Py . he 7 ll ® ab, ,¢ ‘ 1 ' 1 P “1, ‘ a? i ‘*) must post her about this affair, fc course, it won’t do to allow that fellow to sprim any traps on her. ‘** Tll send for Quiet Jack in the morning, and talk it over with him.” CHAPTER XIV. JACK REPORTS AND DISAPPEARS, NEXT morning, before leaving the hotel where he had spent the night—for he would not think of going to his two modest rooms, except as the ‘* hod-carrier "—Mac called two messenger boys, one of whom he dispatched to Mr, Hamilton's house, and the other to Austin, The first messenger had returned, and Mac was once more the ‘‘ hod-carrier,” when Quiet Jack, made bis appearance, ‘‘ Ye'r’ lookin’ very shwell this mornin’?” said Mac, commenting on bis partner’s elegant “ get- U y,? ‘Going down among my Wall street friends,” replied Austin. he reply was perfectly sincere, for the speaker had made many friends and acquaint- ances among bankers and brokers, whosupposed he was a man of wealth. ‘Well, did you learn anythin’?” ‘‘Only that Mr. Fulton is regarded as a man of great business ability ; bighly respected by bis associates, and admired for the skillful man- ner in which he has managed to fill Robert Bar- ret’s shoes,” ‘‘ He’s a keen scoundrel, Jack,” observed the ‘t hod-carrier,” thoughtfully, an’ we're goin’ t’ have a tough job, v prove anythin’ ag’in’ him.” ‘‘Then you are satisfied that Fulton ts at the bottom of this alleged queer business—thbat is, if there is any bottom to 1t?” ‘* Faith the’ is a bottom to it, an’ ther’s no allege about it all. ‘“T had a shadow’ wud me last night.” ‘* The devil!” ‘‘ No, Dick Wilson—ye know tbe laddybuck, ‘Well, Misther Wilson picked me vp—for th’ second time, I’m purty sure, after I lett th’ doc- thor’s. ‘Ay coarse, he wasn’t long at his tbricks, before I knew it, ’n’ I took a notion t’ find out who he was workin’ for, an’ where d’ye’ think Misther Wilson fetched up?” ‘* Give it up.” . ‘* At the Barret mansion; an’, pbat’s more, he lives there!” Austin looked greatly astonished, but made no remark, and bis partner went on to relate his night’s experience, The interview with Doctor Lewis appeared to make a great impression on Quiet Jack, ‘‘That is the key to the whole affair,” he de- clared, ‘‘and the first thing to do is, find this fellow Herman.” ‘‘ He’s reported t? be wud, what Miss Barret calls th’ bogus Misther Barret,” ‘* And where is he?” “That ye’v’ got t’ ax Misther Fulton, an’ he’s away now, but that brings up anotber question: Shall I call on Miss B., or let you take me place? ‘‘ What is there to be done?” ‘‘ Well, I dunno that ther’s much, outside of @ queskin or two atout ber ncther, an’ Wilson, ap’ t? warn ber that he’s on the wetcb,” “Tf I go, he'll know me, an’ if 1 make any change she—but the lact is, Jeck, I aon’t want t’? make the change, so you go.” ‘Very well,” replied Austin, ta an absent way that showed he was thinking, and Mac did not disturb him. Suddenly, Austin stoed up, saying: ‘* Well, Pl be off to your Miss Barret, and meet you here when I get through.” *« An* phot’ll I be doin’ bere, ’n’ the office closed, n’ the b’y waitin’ tv’ get in?” “Never mind that,” cheerfully returned Jack, “Dm not going back to the cflice. Fact is, Mac, well have to dissolve partnersbip!” For fully a minute, Mac stared at Austin, as though he thought the latter had suddenly gone mad, Then a light broke upon him, and he nodded approvingly. , ‘Connection with you will only place me un- der surveillance, like yourself,” continned Jack ‘so T will no longer aprear at the < flice, and I think it would be wise to remove My name from the door. “T will take an office down-town, and may thus avoid suspicion—for you can rely on it, Mac. that if this is what we think it Is, we are nitted against not only Fulton, Wilson and this Herman. but a dozen or more, ‘The thing is too big to take any chances, and there are probably a dozen of this man’s agents on the lookout for interference, ————— fi : . . J 3 Ee ww 11ICDOOK | || I rN A i : re Fie ae = - -_ | , eee ~ a et se RR El on won et Le le ee Be ee pe Ye ee ee ee . pe — ar : ° _ ee - > ~~ - - eV s - an. Pe ’ +S 74 ‘