Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 774 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

ts , : . - ~ . + . - ~ = ~ 7 ae a ¢ 5 « + z a € . z bed a” # po ~adt Fe 7 aT rw _« io = ta a *. . . ¢ 4 ’ Pa }” + t.. "Ar *) ¥, oie aie we On oe : ale ee ; Sr main 5s y ; : 2 as 9 ° ° ei - + . ‘* Well, why does she receive bim without the captain’s knowledge?” ‘Zay do bave some trouble when first she mar- ree ze captaine. He do not like her brozare, and be do forbid him to come at all.” ‘“ Ah-ha! I see. Howoften did this brother visit Mrs, Scudd?” . ‘Not vera oftun.” ‘‘ Where did she receive him?” ‘‘Tn her room.” ‘*So? And the captain never suspected?” sé No. ” ‘¢ How did he enter the house?” ‘* By ze back way, monsieur.” ‘‘Tois grows interesting. The cook must be in the secret.” ‘* Oui; she ees,” ‘* By Jovel I wonder just how important this matter is! It may have some bearing on the case, or it may not,” ‘‘T did not tink of eet, or I tell you before, monsieur.” It will be necessary for me to find out about this brother,” thought Cal. ‘It is strange he should not demand his rights, It is not manly to come sneaking into another man’s house, even though it is to see a sister,” In one thing Cal had been somewhat baffled. That was in tracing the past life of Mrs. Scudd, He had followed her back to a certain point, but revious to that he could not learn anything about her. The captain had fallen in love with her, and she had married him on condition that he dia not question her concerning the past, which she declared had been ‘‘ very sad.” Being perfectly enamored, the captain had consented to the condition. Now, Carter had come to believe that the beautiful woman had the best of reasons for wishing her past career kept shady. He be- lieved the captain would not bave married her had he known the truth concerning that past. But if Mrs. Scudd had lived a criminal life, she had not been ‘‘ placed on record” in this country. Cal knew she might be English, but he was inclined to think her an American, He also knew she might have been in some way con- nected with criminals, and still escaped police attention. He now saw a chance to get at the truth of her past, and that was through the brother who secretly visited her in her beautifuul home. He felt sure that brother would prove a criminal of some sort, ‘. ‘‘ When was he here last?’ asked the detec- ve, / **Oh, eet was some week ago.” **One week ago?” “No, no! One, two, tree—a mont’,” ** So long?” ** Oui,” ** He visited Mrs, Scudd in her room then?” Lizette nodded. ‘*Is there any one besides yourself and the cook in the secret?” **There was, monsieur.” ‘ce Was?” iT) Outi.” ™ ‘Just what do you mean by that? If there was, is there not now?” 6s ,”? e ** How is that?” ‘‘ Ze ozare one he be dead,” ** Charley Thornton?” ** Zat be ze one,” ‘*Great Scott!” Again was new light brought to the detec- tive. He found bimself standing face to face with new possibilities. Of a sudden, he began to feel that he was not so sure he knew exactly who pene ane ssa td ¥ wae val Es arley ornton allow thi report to bis uncle?” nis, and not Oui.” ‘‘ Well, I think less of the young man than I did.” ‘‘ Zis brozare do have some talk with Charles sometime.” ‘In this house?” ‘‘One time here.” ‘* And the fool boy didn’t know he was play- with fire!” muttered Cal. e began to feel disgusted with Charley Thornton, ‘*¢ You did not hear what they said, Lizette?” **T do just hear ze word monee,” ** Money?” Lizette Scene’ ‘“* Zat was eet.” ‘* Well this grows still more interesting! Why should er be s king of money? Christopher! ey 4 Was Char ornton in league with this bro- ther in fleecing the captain? It begins to look - that way!” ee =... ror — een nO en ss Clear-Grit Cal. If that was true, there might have been an- otber reason than hatred for the young man’s murder, It did not seem so very much as if Mrs. Scudd bad killed him out of madness be- cause be had repulsed her when sbe tried to win his love. Instead of that, Thornton might have fallen into a repentant mood and threatened to tell his uncle all, Then it would have been necessary to silence him in order for the beauti- ble Mrs. Scudd not to suffer a terrible downfall. The sharks saw theaiselves in danger and they resorted to a deadly and terrible method of re- taining their grip on their prey. And still, was Captain Scudd the one wko had fired the fatal shot? Had the wicked woman exercised her influence to compel him to take the life of bis own nephew? Those questions were still unanswerable, but Carter fancied he saw aray of hope for the un- fortunate man, But how it would crush and humiliate the old salt when he knew the whole horrible truth! It would be a terrible blow when be was forced to believe bis charming wife guilty of conspiracy against him. And he might have to believe her guilty of murder! ‘¢ Lizette, I must see the cook.” Down to the kitchen went the detective, and there be found the cook was a buxom Irish girl with a face that was far from being uncomely and ga brogue that would “‘ give her away” un- der any circumstances. Its was not such an easy thing to induce Mollie to talk about her mistress and the family secrets, but Carter was skilled in the art of questioning, and _ he finally caused her to believe it her duty to tell all she knew, in order to help clear up the mystery of the murder, Charley had been a favorite in the kitchen, as well as everywhere else. ‘Och, bone! th’ poor lard! niver will this hoouse say the loikes av him again!” And Mollie wiped her eyes with ber apron, ** Now, Mollie,” said Cal, in his most persuad- ing manner, ‘‘ you can aid me in clearing up this mystery, if you will, Your master is in juil, and it is your duty to help me in getting bim out. ‘* Arrah, but th’ misthress hiv cautioned me to soay Diver a worrud,” ‘About what?’ ** About thot blackguard av a broother av hers, sur. It's divila bit do O1 loike the looks av him! He’s a schoundril, av Oi hiv a bit av brains in me hid!” ‘You are right, Mollie, always right.” ‘*By me faith! yure th’ firrust Yarnkee Oi ivver hurrd soay th’ loikes av thot? It’s directly th’ opposite they do be afther tarkin’, They roon us doown to th’ larrust notch, an’ soay whoy didn’t we stay in Auld Oireland, Th’ S‘ints know we'd bin glad enough to staid theer av Jobnnie Bull didn’t sit bissilf over us wid a whip in his harrund! It’s not this wretched country we do be afther warntin’ av we kin hiv th’ Auld Sod to be ourown’” Cal saw Mollie was flying off at'a tangent, and he made haste to bring her back. *“* My oP eeny is witb the Lrish,” he assured. ‘* When I take it into my bead to get married, ll search around for a Yankee girl with Irish blood in her veins, Mollie, ’m keeping track of you from this on, “But I am with you in thinking this brother of Mrs. Scudd a bad piece of property.” **Hivven knows Oi’d not loike hands!” ‘* He comes in by the kitchen?” ‘* He do thot, an’ Oi hiv had th’ pleasure av tellin’ him what Oi do think av him for thot sp’akinu’ way.” . ‘* Does he come often?” ‘Not very; he doon’t dare.” ** You let bim in?” ** Whin Oi am toold. Oi’d nivver do thot, but Masther Charley said it wur all roight. Poor Masther Charley!” ‘‘ Well, bis death begins to make it look as if it was not all rigbt, Mollie.” ‘*O. nivver could see how he could hiv any- thing to do wid th’ loikes av thot black-faced odamahoon.” ‘Then this brother is dark-faced?” ‘* Vis, sur.” j ‘* With a black mustache?” » © is, sat.” ts Tall ” ** He is, sur.” ‘“* Always well-dressed?” ‘* Loike a dandy, sur.” i ** IT know him!” thought Cal. Aloud, he said: When was be here last?” ‘* Th’ very day poor Charley wur kilt, sur,” You Irish are on me eo pees a 13 An exclamation of satisfaction came from Cal Carter’s lips. This was growing interesting, to say the very least. ‘** You let him in, Mollie?’ -: ‘‘'Yis, sur. He samed a bit flustered loike an’ said he must have a worrud wid his sister, It wur a mighty long wurrud be spoke!’ ** How long was he witb her?” ** A coople av hours, sur.” ** You let him out?’ Teo.” ‘* How did he appear then?” ‘“Cool as oice, He did be afther givin’ me some money.” ‘*Ha! A bribe?’ ‘** No; a foive dollar bill, sur.” ‘““So mucb? And he asked you to keep mum?” . “* He did thot.” ‘*You and Mrs, Scudd are probably the only ones who know of bis visit on that day?” ‘* Barrin’ yersilf, sur.” | “ Well, [am in it tostay. Mollie, es you love your life—as you loved your young master who was murdered, con’t let a soul know you have told me these things.” ‘* There is litthie danger av thot, sur. Oi hiv no desire to lose me place here,” ‘* Well, here is another five to match the one the dark-faced brother gave you,” A few minutes later the detective was on the —— and he walked with a swinging, springy step. ‘* The next thing in order,” he softly muttered, ‘*is to close my fingers on Silky Hall. I wonder if I will have to follow him to Boston?” But he was saved thetrouble. Hall had learn- ed Tired Moore was not ‘“‘done up,” and the dark-faced gambler was back in New York. CHAPTER XVII. THE REVELATION. SHARK gladdened the heart of his employer by informing him that Hall bad returned. ** How do you know this?” asked Cal, ** An old street friend of mine who knows the sport put me on.” ‘* Well, I shall need Hall directly. I have got. some new points, and he is in it—deep.” “c So?” ‘Yes, I want to hunt him up.” ** All right.” ; ‘*¢] shall arrest him shortly.” ** For what?” ‘* Well, I will have a charge that is stiff enough to stand alone, I tell you, Shark, that man needs electricity to brace him up—and he is liable to get a heavy shock.” e ‘* Is it bad as that?” ** It looks that way from the road,” ** Then I’m onto bim,” ** Stick by him, but don’t let him tumble, He must not be alarmed.” ** How soon will you be ready to gather him?” ‘** By to-morrow, I expect,” Cal bad a theory, but he was not sure it could be worked out. From bis cffice he sought a cer-’ tain practitioner of hypnotism and had a long talk with him. When this talk was over it was too late to carry out his plan that day, At an early hour the next day Cal visited Cap- tain Scudd in his cell, With the detective came three other men. One was the professor of byp- notism, one was a certain police official bigh in office, and the third was a well-known citizen of great influence, The captain was surprised when he saw them all enter bis cell. ‘‘ Captain Scudd,” said Cal, after he had made his companions known to the unfortunate man, ‘*] know you are astonished by our appearance: here, but we have come for a purpose,” ‘** What purpose?” ‘‘The purpose of making an attempt to fully unfold the mystery of Charlie Thornton’s death,” “ Bgad, sir! you do not mean to infer that I can tell you anything more than I have already made known?” *“Onb, yes I do!” ; The captain lifted nis weighty body, his face becoming almost purple with anger. ‘Sir, this is more than I can stand! You plainly express doubts as to my veracity! I have told you everything | know, as I have be- fore gssured you, but you have now coms with the evident purpose of intimidating me into sometbing like a ccnfession, Sir, | discharge you, and I refuse to have anything further to say to you. You will find there is a limit!” it was with difficulty Cal calmed the excited. map in a measure, hastening to explain: ‘‘T have no thought of inferring you could have told more up to the present time, captain ;,. \ - — “A Pins /*>. ae — aa — — ee eRe ain Ley aor « ed | ie ! a io .F it “rte ee » ash t hag ~ oA. ) oa nt - : vA = ey - tye 4 ii «ae ‘ s% s