Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 771 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Foxy Fred’s Odd Pard. 9 to test this fellow, further. Keep witb me until it is decided. We will go down this side-street, sand if be follows I shall know be is dogging me,” The plan was carred out. They did not look around until the whole block bad been trav- ersed. Then, as a fresh survey was taken, it was seen that the Man in Black bad disappeared. ‘‘T guess you were mistaken,” remarked Juan. ‘‘ Perhaps so,” Berthrong admitted, ‘‘ but I do not feel at all sure of it. We will go on.” They went, but he was not so sociable as be- fore. His mind was on the supposed shadower, and his conversation was broken, This did not trouble the Cuban; he was perfectly willivg it should be so, It took attention away from him. For several blocks they walked on, and then Percy suddenly touched bis companion’s arm, ** Look!’ he directed Juan obeyed. On the opposite side of the street the Man iv Black was at bis old trick of looking into a show-window, but he plainly had his attention upon them, also, ‘* As I thought; he’s dogging me!” the ex-sport declared. ‘*‘ Now, lll throw him off the track or break my neck, In order todo it I must leave you; but you'll call again, won’t you, Mr, Costa?” sé Yes. ” ‘* Do so; I shall be glad to see you, I'll try to show you what New York is like, and I tell you it is the most glorious city on the face of the earth. We have the cream of America, and in a short time no European city will be in it with our great metropolis. But this is not to the point. Good-day! I’m off!” Shaking the Cuban’s hand, Percy ran out and spring on a street-car. Resolved to try an experiment, the Cuban slipped Quickly into a cigar-store, and from the window secretly watched the Man in Black, ‘The latter had turned away from the window. He looked after the car, and he looked searching- dy up and down the street. Juan rightly suspected that, in watching Ber- throng, the shadower had lost sight of him, and was anxious to locate him again, Failing in this, the Man in Black made a decision. He boarded a car and follow after the ex-sport. Costa now perceived that he was really shadowing Percy, but the impression that there was some unusual mystery about the man grew in the Cuban’s mind. Who, and what, was he? An ordinary detective? If so, why did he not seize bis prey while he had a chance?” ‘I won't bother about it,” thought the disguised woman, with a sigh. ‘* Let me be thankful I have passed through so many porils in safety. Yes; and as I am established as Juan Costa, a future is before me. Tll go to them again; 1’ll go hoping to help Clarice. Providence help me if my identity becomes known!” CHAPTER All. THE BLOW OF THE BEARDED BAND, IT was evening, Two boys were strolling slong a side street, ©@ne was Foxy Fred; the other was, to all ap- pearances, a colored boy of about the Keener’s own age. : ‘* We ain’t goin’ ter git no p’inters ter-night,” Fred remarked, with dissatisfaction. ‘* Tt looks like it.” . ‘Bad, by gum! I’m jest spoilin’ fer a brush with the pestiferous enemy.” ‘“‘Tt may be better for us, Although it is my plan, I don’t know as it is safe for me to be seen with you in any guise.” ‘* Singin’ ’skeeters! nobody would suspect you was Mary Stannard.” ** Hush!” ‘*Oh! I didn’t breathe the name until I was dead sure nobody else would hear it, I intend ter be as wily as a Bowery thimble-rigger. Yes, old hoss: you are Jeff Washington, a colored gent, an’ nobody else.” Mrs, Stannard smiled. Once more she had shown her remarkable faculty for planning and perfecting a disguise, and in Jeff Washington there was no suggestion of Juan Costa or M Stannard, so Fred asserted, and he momentarily etd more and more proud of bis detective com- rade, They bad made no discoveries on the trip, and as the hdur was growing late, they decided: that further search would be useless. ‘* This is a dark and forbidding street,” added Mrs, Stannard, ‘‘ and I do not care to risk any- thing. We will turn back, at once.” She suited the action to the word, and Fred followed the example, but the peaceful return upon which they counted was not to take place, A stropg hand suddenly grasped the supposed colored boy by the collar and burled him against the wall of the adjacent building. He then fell to the sidewalk and lay perfectly still, appar- ently senseless, As for the Keener, he saw three men confront- ing him, and one sternly exclaimed: ‘‘ Boy, you are our prisoner. Don’t dare to call for help, We will kill you if you do!” ‘** Kill’ is a big word, mister,” returned the unabashed Keener, ‘* You ain’t no New York- er, or you wouldn’t use sech expressions, Say, d’ye think ye kin blow in here from the wilds of Arizony, Canada or Weehawken, an’ bluff a city gent like me?” Fred talked glibly, but he was not idle in other ways, He was trying to defer trouble, and in the meanwhile he used his eyes freely, There was good cause to say the men were not New Yorkers. There was that about them which proved it at once. Ona the contrary, they had a certain freedom of dress, and picturesque disorder of hair and beard, which made bis reference to Arizona seem not inappropriate, Nevertheless, they were keen and alert, and had an ample supply of a certain kind of intel- ligence, They let him finis), and then, seeing he had nothing of importance to say, the spokesman pulled at bis collar, ‘* Come!” he tersaly directed. ‘* Where?” ‘**'You will learn that, later.” ‘*T want ter learn now, I don’t go ter walk with no gent without or ig out jest w’ot he’s drivin’ at, you bet. Besides, I don’t like the way you used a poor little black kid.” Foxy Fred looked anxiously at Mrs. Stannard, who remained motionless, His first idea had been that it was she at whom the attack was aimed, but as no further attention was given her, he changed his‘mind. He was afraid, how- ever, that she had been injured by the fall. The man showed a disposition tc delay which was not then easy to understand, and in the meanwhile a carriage came briskly down the street, Fred bad an eye on it, and when it came nearly opposite him, he suddenly cried: ‘* Hi! mister, this way! I’m bein’ done up by mean skunks, Help!” The carriage pulled up by the curbstone, The Keener’s face fell when he saw the driver caln:- ly keep his seat, and one of the other men open the vehicle door, but before be could form any new plan of action, he was flung unceremoni- ously inside, his captors followed, and the car- riage resumed its way. ** Look here!” Fred looked, and saw a revolver. **I don’t think you want to throw your life away,” thespeaker added. ‘' Be silent, and you will avoid all trouble,” “Trouble? Say! w’ot d’ye call the dif, I am in, now? Ef this ain’t trouble, w’otisit? You may think it’s fun, but 1 don’t. W’ot are you tryin’ ter do?” ‘*For a while you are our prisoner. Ask no questions about it, and all will be well,” It was a very cool direction, for the Keener believed he had more interest, and more cause to ask questions than any one else, but it was elear that he could not successfully resist three mep and a revolver, so he did not attempt it. His first, natural idea that he owed the attack to Percy Berthrong had been abandoned, and he was curious, as well as troubled by the situ- ation, These men, he felt sure, would let nothing stand in the way of their purpose. _ The journey was not long, and they drew up in front of one of a row of miserable houses, He was told they were to enter, and sternly cau- tioned not to make any outery or resistance, If he had seen any one to whom he could ap- peal, the warning might have been ignored, but nobody wus at hand, He was obliged to suffer himself to be led into the house, He was conducted to the back parlor, and the bearded trio again confronted him, There was no mercy in their faces or manner, ‘* Boy,” began the spokesman, ‘‘ what is your name?” ‘* Call me Blicketty.” ** No jesting, sir.” ‘**I don’t know ez I’m obliged ter giv a family pedigree. Ef you don’t know who I be, you punt ter bev found out afore you gobbled e, + We have seen you before,” te a Yepel you?” < nd you’ve seen us, 7 Where?” _ af a certain stable which I need not name,” o Oh! be you the gorillas in the masks?” We were the masked men,” was the frigid raply. ‘‘ Now, where are those who were then with you?’ ‘* Don’t know.” , ‘it is false! Of course you know, and you must tell, Oneof the party was a man called Brown, In all probability the name is ficti- tious. We want toknow his real name, whoand what he is, and what game heis playing. You were one of his companions, and must know what we wish tolearn. You are to tell us this.” Foxy Fred had grown interested. These men had captured Harding Otis and turned their re- volvers upon him, and they desired to know all about Berthrong. The Keener lost bis appre- hensions in keen curiosity, and at that moment he was rather glad he was 1n their company. His meditations were eut short by the sharp order: ‘* Speak out! out!” We will have no trifling. Speak CHAPTER XIV. THE KEENER’S CAPTIVITY, ‘* MistreR,” repiied Foxy Fred, diplomatically, ‘it is possible that we may be able to make a bargain—” ‘‘T bave no bargain to make!” sharply in- terrupted the spokesman of the strangers, ‘** You are our prisoner; you are in our power, We want information, and we’re going to have it. Now, understand me: We are not your enemies; we have nothing against you. You never did us any harm, and we don’t want to harm vou,. Tell us what we want to know and you can go free, safe and sound, Refuse, how- ever, and we'll force the truth from you, if need be, by torture!” He spoke with candor that was impressive, and as Foxy Fred did not feel wholly at ease sitting there with the grim trio for companions, be replied: ‘“* Drive on, mister!” ** Who is the man Brown?” ** A crook,” ** What is his real name?” ** Percy Bertbrong.” ‘* What is his line of crooked work?” ‘** Confidence man, bunco-steerer, an’ so on.” ** No more?” ** Not ez I know of. Yesee, he ain’t iu actyve business life, now. He an’ the police bad a little misunderstandin’, a few montbs ago, an’ they in- vited him ter go ter State’s Prison fer a vaca- tion. I dare say they bad a room all selected fer him, with clean sheets on the bed an’ costly paintin’s on the wall, but Perce didn’t move in. Op the contrary he jest shook his keepers here in New York, an’ senee then he’s been hidin’ from them, The fact that they wanted ter put him in bas put him out.” The Keener smiled at his own joke, but no one else did, ‘*-You are in his confidence, of course.” ‘“‘Not much, He’s dead ag’inst me.” ‘‘T know better,” ** Ask hin.” “I would if I bad achance, Now, see here: What do you know about a girl who was stolen from a house up Murray Hill way? The owner of the house was one Harding Otis,” Foxy Fred opened his eyes widely, A ques- tion of more interest to him. was, what did these men know about the circumstance? And what did they care about it? His silence was not al- lowed to grow to undue length. ** Where is she?” added the spokesman. **T don’t know,” “* Be careful, boy!” “]’m givin’ you a straight deal, mister.” ‘*Why will you be so idiotically stubborn? You are a friend of this Bertbrong, aud, no doubt, well informed as to his affairs, You must know where the girlis, Tell us that and we will not only guarantee you ons usage, but give you fifty dollars if you will inform us at once,” ‘* What do you wapnio’ her?” ‘That is our business. Don’t expect us to re- turn any confidence. You can’t expectit. The power is with us, and we shal) use it without mercy.” This was plain enough, but Foxy Fred’s naturally inquisitive nature was not to be kept down. He persisted in his truthful statement that he did not know where Clarice was, and, oceasionally, interjected a question seeking to get some light in return, He was devoured with curiosity to know who his companions were, and what interest they had in the matter. His pertinacity seemed to show them the folly of trying to check it, but, instead, all of bis questions were ignored. As for his assertion that he could tell no more, the spokesman was evidently somewhat influenced, He left one of