Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 771 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

Ee eee een * .— ¥ is a e "t [ 4% ri » eH ’ is rome we » ry, * the kid shall keep bis hands off. He is my helper, and must obey me,” ‘* That looks fair,” remarked Berlong. ‘Looks are mighty deceptive!” cried Perce. **T am not to be deceived,. These fiends are af- ter me, but they won’t get me. Eh, boys?” The last question was to the anarchist-like compositors, who answered ina breath: ‘You bet, he won’t!” ** Long live the free life!” added Perce, ‘6 Ay, ay!’ ‘* Down with the police spies!” * Down with them!” These prompt responses pleased Perce, and he turred again to his enemies with a half-smile, confident and vindictive. CHAPTER VI, AN OLD GRUDGE TO BE SETTLED, ‘“You are in for it!” the convict declared, “You will never go away to betray me, These bold fellows are ready to back me up, for they have no love for the cause you represent,” ‘* Down with the police!” chorused the trio dy the door, Foxy Fred’s face was grave. Hesaw that no ar- gumept could convince Percy Berthrong, which only showed his common sense, for the past bad shown him just bow be and the Keener stood. ‘The odds were too great to think of successful resistance with the so-called compositors counted in. Type-setters they undoubtedly were, but that trade had grown out of their lawless mode of life The Keener looked at Walden. What would the do in such a dilemma? ‘‘It seems to me,” spoke the detective, com- plainingly, ‘* that you are giving us a cold deal. We came here in good faith, and now a ridicu- jJous charge is trumped upagainstus. Do you uphold this course, Mr, Berlong?” ‘* Brown can manage this case,” ‘*] decline to treat with Brown,” ‘** You'll have to!” the convict asserted, ** You ‘are not going out of here to blow on me,” ‘* What does that mean?” ‘Simply that we have quarters here for just such men as you, and you will have to wali in and occupy them. You are prisoners!” ‘* Prisoners! Never! We will not submit!” ** What will you do?” As if to guide the answer, Perce motioned to tthe trio, and each man drew a revolver, “Do you want to argue?” the convict tersely masked, Walden sat in silence. He wasa cool, brave man, but these very qualities showed him that there was a limit to resolute action, He was armed himself, but the enemy counted five, and it was absurd to suppose be could dispose of all of them What would they be doing in the amean while? ‘* Your methods are infamous,” he finally an- swered, ‘‘ but lam willing todo what I can to avoid trouble. I will submit to temporary re- straint on one condition: that you send to a man who will prove me what I claim to be,” ** Who is he?” -“ A man named Fly Pete,” ** Never heard of him, and we decline to treat. ‘We can, bowever, learn more of you in our own ‘way than may be pleasant for you, and this we will do. You can march into a room of re- straint, and we will see you again when we feel jike it.” Berthrong was insolent in his hour of triumph, and not at all inclined to abate an inch. Wal- den at first insisted upon being allowed to re- main in the office, but this demand was not heeded, and when he bad exhausted all means, he submitted to the imprisonment, Surrounded by all of the gang, he and Foxy Fred were escorted to the rear of the buildin and locked upinaroom there. Berthreng ha asked for the detective’s revolver, but the latter had forcibly declared that he would shoot the first one who tried to take it, and he had his way in this, The door closed upon the prisoners. “Wal, this is a fine high-jinks!” the Keener observed, “It is bighly unjust,” agreed Walden, with a cautious look backward which was a mute in- quiry as to whether the ears of the enemy were busy trying to trap them, ‘* Fer folks ez highly recommended as them it passes belief,” pugeoed Foxy Fred. ‘* Wouldn’t a’ thought it, by Susanna! I’ve had a skirmish with one 0’ them in the past, but old scores is settled. 1 hoid no grudge,” This diplomatic conversation was kept up for some time, but when convinced that they were be ' ’ ‘ ens . ’ } : ¥ ' : crt Pn § Sux r Bed +4 jh 4° " */ A] é { * 4 . . a f Lee ae @ a ny oe Pt be Lis > ae Sota ae ee wh: Ned 4016 Ng . + is . a u r = Foxy Fred’s Odd Pard. I promise that, whatever the old trouble was, | not shadowed by listeners, the prisoners moved nearer together, **Say, ain’t we in fer it?” the Keener asked, ** We are indeed,” ** Dennis K, Mudis the name that fitsus, The gang is dead onter us, an’ Perce Berthrong won't let up a fraction. He’s a corker, Perce is. ‘* We are surely prisoners, and I have a vague notion that Berthrong has a clew to my identity. If he should bring somebody bere who would succeed in identifying us—” The speaker stopped short. ‘*We wouldn’t git out alive,” Foxy Fred finished. ‘Frankly, that’s about it.” ** Kind o’ creepy, ain’t it?” The Keener did not seem to be overwhelmed by the situation, and Wardeu nodded his ap- proval. It was pleasant to have such an ally. The room was one which gave no promise of escape. ‘he door was heavy and tightly fitted, and the plain board walls had no window in their surface, or other break, Indeed, the room might have been nearly air-tight had there not been an iron grate fixed in the ceiling, some ten feet above the floor. Up there, too, was the faint light of a gas-jet, It cid not take them long to satisfy themselves that escape was out of the question, and they settled down to take matters as easily as possible, Warden recognized with considerable uneasiness, however, that pight was not far away. It was the time when the lawless part of New York’s citizens chiefly did their dark work, A good deal of thinking was dove in the room in the two hours which followed, Then the captives had cause to turn there minds on visible, and away from speculative things. They heard the bolts slid on the otber side of the door, and Warden bade Fred keep close to him. The door opened, and four men appeared— Berthrong and the evil trio. The detective at once discovered a somethiag in their facial appearance which gave him an involuntary shiver, Somehow, even then, mem- ory recalled accounts he bad heard of the tools of tyrant kings who had gone to prisoners’ ceils to assassinate them, As the present gang looked, so might the old- time assassins have looked. Berthrong carried a lantern, and this he held up so he could look around more fully. Then he lowered it and doggedly said: ‘* You are wanted!” sa this laconic remark he pointed to Foxy red. rn Zoe be I? Who wants me?” ** What fer?” ** You two are going to be separated, ‘** When then?” Warden interrupted, ‘* That is my business, Come!’ He motioned to the Keener, but the latter did not stir. He was as observing as Warden, and felt sure that the separation was to be no tri- vial matter to him, If Perce bad announced that he was to be killed off-hand it would not have surprised him, after seeing wkat was ex- pressed in the convict’s face. ‘* Take him!” Berthrong impatiently went on, after a brief pause, speaking to one of his fol- lowers, _ The latter started forward interrupted, Stop!” he ordered, ‘‘ This boy is my friend, and [ will not allow him to be separated from me, I have yielded much to you, but I'll yield no more, Where I stay the boy stays, too!” Fie held his revolver ready for use, and his purpose was not to be mistaken. ‘* Fool!” Berthrong exclaimed; “ will you go to ruin with him?” ‘* T will defend him,” ‘* Then you shall both die!” ‘* Ha! so you confess you meant to kill him ?” ‘Have it as you will,” almost shouted the convict. ‘‘ Weare here to take him away, and we're going to do it, If you resist, you sign your death-warrant. Advance, men!” CHAPTER VII. , WARM WORK, THE deteetive drew back the hammer of the revolver and leveled the weapon. ‘I give you fair warning,” he firmly replied, ‘ Keep away, or I will shoot the first man who tries to molest us!” There was no mistaking his resolution, and Berthrong and bis tools stood still. They had the odds with them, and were well supplied with weapons, In the long run the fight was sure to go in their favor, but no one was anxious to give up his life for the cause, , but Warden again 5 It was a striking lull, but presently, Berthrong addressed Foxy Fred: ‘“'Will you drag your friend down to ruin with you, or are you manly enough to come out?’ ‘* Admiral,” the Keener replied, coolly, ‘‘my wisdom teeth ain’t in nobody’s head but my own, I am content to be a small toad in the puddle, Guess 1 won’t go ter walk with you, ef it’s all the same ter the gents present,” Berthrong put his lantern under bis coat, hid- ing it wholly. Then he whistled sharply. It was a signal, and was answered promptly. The gas-light above went out in a twinkling, and the room was Lp me. ge in darkness, This trick bad not been suspected, and it could not but startle the prisoners, but Warden’s wits worked quickly. ‘‘ Make a dash for liberty!” he whispered, in Fred’s ear. The Keener was only too glad to get a chance, and he plunged forward like a Texas steer. He was shrewd enough to realize that it never would do to run up againt the enemy squarely. He took a circular course, keeping close to the wall, Once he touched somebody else and an arm was reached out, but he dodged under it and reached the door, He feared to find it fastened, but such was not the case, It yielded; be tore it open. He was face to face with Berlong. For an instant the Keener was dazed. He re- alized that.the man was there to cut off retreat, and he never had looked so big and strong as then, but the boy knew a trick which even avoirdupois could not: render useless, Lowering his head be made a dive forward, striking Ber- long full in the stomach, and the fellow went over like a ten-pin. Unfortunately, Fred could not check bis own impetus, and be fell upon bis victim, Then, be- fore he could rise, somebody fell upon bim, and otbers were added to the pile until it was a con- fused mass of wriggling bodies and flying arms and legs, The Keener was a slippery customer, and it did not take him long to get out of the heap, Warden bad been there, too, but he was in luck aud got clear at the same time. ‘*This way !” he exclaimed, He pointed toward an open door at the rear, Fred cast a wistful glance at the front door, but, even then, read Warden’s fear, that it was lock- ed, He darted’ toward that at the rear, and both he and the detective crossed the threshold, A strong breeze touched their faces, and the saw they were in a court of some kind, Build- ings, large and small, but mostly shanties, were around them, and it was not plain which way they were to go forsafety. The voices of the crooks sounded behind them, bowever, and there was no time for investigation or study, ‘Run!’ Warden ordered, *‘ We must break through, somewhere!” They hurried on, nearly falling over barrels and boxes that were in the way, but soon found their condition even worse. They were in a cul- de-sac; three buildings which connected made three sides of a square, The tramp of the pursuers sounded close be- hind them. ‘‘ Here’s for liberty!” cried the detective. At ons side a window showed a light beyond and he eaught up a barrel, swung it aloft, and then sent it crasbing through the glass, It clear- ed everything away, even to the sash, and War- den thenrested his hand on the sill and leaped through. Foxy Fred followed like a gymprast. Then both stopped short, surprised at a scene unexpectedly presented to their view, They were in asmall, rough room, with several borses vis- ible beyond and the odor of astablein the air while just in front of them were several men, all masked but one, And one of the masks was holding a revolver to the head of him who wore no mask. ‘Harding Otis!” muttered the Keener, me- chanically. : ‘‘The police!” eried one of the disguised men, ‘Get out of this. Run!” And as ene person they dashed out of the room. Foxy Fred was looking at Otis in wonder, but Warden remained attentive to practical things, He turned in time to face their own pursuers, ag Bertbrong and bis tools hurried to the window; and they suddenly found a revolver thrust for- ward and bearing upon them. The scene had. chauged vastly since they were in their own quarters, anda revolver became more an object of dread, : They wheeled and dashed back whence they had come, f ° é . y ai -¢ ‘ 4. ; ‘ wos we! ws - : | | Th } } = ( (