Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 775 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 ‘‘Yes; and you gave some remarkable an- swers, too.” ‘*Guess they must ’a’ been ’markable, when I was out of my head, Seems ter me I’ve been off on a journey somewhere. How long was I[ iv the spell?” ‘*Oh, only a few minutes.” ‘‘ Seems it was a day or two.” ‘‘ Well, Bob, how would you like to work for this lady at good pay? asked the man, ‘* What ter do?’ Harry demanded, ** Let her experiment on you, the same as she has done now. ‘* What d’ye call good pay?” ‘** Well, say two dollars a day and your keep,” ‘‘Nixey! It’s a poor day that I don’t pick wp two dollars with my box, and my keep besides.” ‘‘ How would four dollars suit you?” the wo- man asked, ‘* Now you're talkin’, that figger.” ‘* And can you stay here now?” ** Does the pay begin now?” sé Yes.” ‘¢ Then consider me a fixture.” The pair bad to smile at Harry’s quick and sharp responses, ‘* Very well,” spoke the woman, “ It is agreed. Now, I must have a talk with you and see if you can do what is required of Foe ‘* Crackers an’ cheese! thought I filled the bill anyhow.” ‘* Well, maybe you do, but we must be sure of it, you know. Iam giving you big pay and I must have good service,” ‘** Of course,” **Do you think you could make believe go into one of these spells, and tell a few things purposely ?” ‘* Well, yes, if I could keep from laffin’, and mebby 1 could do that. I’m not very easily tickled, anyhow. Never had much ’easion ter laugh.” ‘Tf you did that it would spoil everything.” ** And I’d be out my four dollars?” ** To be sure,” ‘*Then you'd never ketch me laffin’, The ‘thought of losin’ that money would make me as sober as Jedge Duffy.” ‘‘ Let me see you make believe go intoa spell,” ‘*Orackers an’ cheese! You will hev ter tell me how I act, so’s I'll be able ter work up the counterfeit,” ‘Well, you drop back, fix your eyes straight ahead, and talk rather slow and steady like, Something like this,” The woman gave illustration, ‘**T guess I can do that all right,” averred the boy. ‘See if this comes anywhere near it.” He placed himself in the position he had been in at first, and stared at nothing, the only differ- ance being that purposely, he did not hold Lis eyes quite so s'eadily, To have done so might have aroused sus- icion, ‘* That will do very well,” the woman decided. ‘‘ Now answer me a question, in the most solemn way you can speak, The voice must not be dike your own if you can help it, you know.” ** Ask yer question.” ‘** Well, how are you to-day, my little man?” ** So’s to be able ter set up and take my meals, thank ye,” was the answer, in slow and meas- ured tones, ‘*The tone is all right,” said Madame Du- barre, ‘‘ but not the language. You must talk mas near like polite folks talk as you can, you know; not say ‘so’s,’ and ‘ter,’ and like that, you see. Try again,” ** Ye don’t take me fer a p’fessor o’ langwidge in a college, do ye?” the boy demanded, ‘* No; but don’t talk quite as you do onthe street. Now, try again. Who is going to be our next President?” ‘As near as I am able ter—I mean to kalky- jate, it will be the man that gets the most votes and the squarest count. Don’t you think so?” "that is a little better, but still that will not ‘* What's ther diffikilty now?” ‘* You are inclined to make a joke of your re- lies, You must appear to be in real earnest,” ‘* Well, try it again.” Harry fixed himself for another test. * Now, spirit, when am I going to die? Can yyou tell me that?” ‘You will die on the Twenty-first day of January, inthe year of our Lord one thousand eight bundred and ninety-nine.” [bis was better. In fact, it was said so well that the woman paled for a second and looked to wee if the boy had not really gone off into one of this spells. He had sot, however. I’m yer tally-wally at ‘* How was that?” Harry demanded. ee Broadway Billy’s Shadow Chase. ‘*Splendid!” was the compliment, just what I want.” ‘“‘ All right, then, I guess I can fill the bill for you, if you don't ask me anything too funny.” ** Nothing funny will be asked, I assure you, Do you think he will answer the purpose, Gus?” “Finely,” was the answer. ‘* Keep him, by all means,” ‘* We will,” ‘*There’s only one thing fer ye ter look out fer,” warned Harry. ‘* And what is that?” ‘* You must take care not ter put me off inter a real spell, or no knowin’ what I might tell.” ‘*Ob! there is no danger of that, for I will not attempt to mesmerize aah and you are not likely to go off, as you call it, unless some influ- ence is brought to bear upon you,” ‘* Mebby not,” ** And now are you ready for your lesson?” ‘* Yes, let’s have it, and see that ye drill it inter my thick head mighty well, so it won’t leak out.” ‘*T guess there is little danger of your forget- ting your part, Remember, your pay depends on the correctness with which you do your act,” ‘*That’s so, Dll grip it, you bet,” ‘* Now, pay attention, and listen well to what Isay. To-night, as it is arranged, there will be a spiritual seance here, apd perhaps a good many persons will be present. You must not let that confuse or frighten you, however,” ‘*Numbers don't interfere with my nerve,” boasted the boy. ‘* That is well, Now, among these will be an old man named Matthias Rundle, I will speak his name so that you will know him when he comes, It is to interest bim I want you to take part. You understand? Well, I want you to make believe the spirit of bis deaa daugbter is in you, talking to him, and you must say what shall arrauge for you to say, Do you see? ** I guess I git hold of it, ma’m.” ‘Very well. You must make believe go off into a spell, just as you have done now, and then talk and answer questions. I will do the questioning myself, and you will know what answer 1 want you to make by the way in which I ask the question. I sball drill you on that this afternoon until I have you perfect. Then, too, you must have a good deal of knowledge about Mr. Rundle’s affairs, so you will be able to make him believe it is really the spirit of bis daughter who is talking to him. I can give you all that knowledge,” ‘*Guess I kin do it, if it ain’t put on too heavy. I used ter spout lines from plays that I picked up at theaters, when | dropped in some- times and chawed peanuts with tue other kids in the loft.” ‘*T have no doubt but you will answer the purpose well, If you do real well, and make no mistakes, I will give you five dollars instead of four, and Tl give you the full pay for this half-day, too, ou must not make any mis- takes, for that would spoil everything, you know,” ** Bet [ don’t make a single flop, then, I’m goin’ fer thet fiver, or bu’st in tryin’ ter git thar.” ‘* Do you think he’ll do, Gus?” ‘* Yes, I believe be’s going to be the best de- coy yet,” was the assurance. There was a long talk, then, between the man and woman, in which their plans were laid. Casmore told her about the young stranger be was going to bring that night, and it was all talked over freely in the presence of the boy. And then after tho departure of Casmore, the woman began to drill the decoy on the lessons he had to learn, in which the lad made the most gratifying progress. The remainder of the afternoon, without interruption, was given up to that business, with a persistence worthy of a much ‘better cause, CHAPTER XY. BROADWAY BILLY SURPRISED. WHEN Broadway Billy left the residence of Mattbias Rundle, he paid another visit to Head- quarters, Not that he had any particular business there, but he felt that be owed it to the chief to report rogress on the case, and had to kill time some- te until the hour for his meeting with Gus Casmore, He was welcomed, of course, and when he had made known what he bad been doing, it was a great satisfaction to find that he had the appro- val of his patron. And when he came away, finally, be had some valuable suggestions in mind given him by one who had had so many ‘ years’ experience in the detective field, *“* That is From tbere Billy went to bis office, There was no evidence that any one had been there, and no communication was found in the door letter-box, ‘*Reckon many a day will pass with no callers,” the young man mused, ‘I have got to make a bigger name than I have already, I spose. But then, I am being helped, and I sup- pose a good many cases will be put in my way till I get a footing and can command attention on my own merit.” Opening his office dresser, he took out a new disguise and put it on. When he had done this he appeared as a man, with a full beard, and so well was the beard fitted, that it would require a very close inspec- tion to discover the cheat. He was well dressed, but not in the height of fashion by any means, and looked not unlike a prosperous man of business frum some country town. Bully could take on ageor lay it off at pleasure, and could play either man or boy. In this outfit he looked to be about thirty years old, and being broad of shoulder and strong of neck and limb, he was every inch a man, and of no small bodily proportions, either. . He was a man, yet with a face so boyish and béardless as to deceive any one who did not know bim, Locking his « flice again, he paid a visit to the home of Jonas Rundle, He found things there about as Happy Harry had found them in the morning, but sain was not at bome. Inquiring where be might probably be found, Billy went for bim, and found Jonas with his truck waiting for a load from the place where he was emploved, ‘*'You are Jonas Rundle?” Billy asked, ‘*‘ That’s my name,” was the unswer, **Son of Matthias Rundle?” eS oy Bit,” ‘*Then you are the man I wanted to find,” ** Well, you have found me; what do you want?” ‘* A little talk with you that will be of interest to you,” ** What about?” ** Your father’s property.” ‘* Ha! what do you know about his property? Who are you, anyhow?” Billy had drawn the man aside from the others oe he talked, and now that they were alone, said: ‘*My name is Weston; lamadetective. lam working up a case to cheat a set of rascals out of getting hold of your father’s money. You can ae P me a little, and I can help you a good eal, ‘“*I don’t know about that, The old man is dead set against me, and won’t bave Se ie do witb me. because I won't be a spiritual- ist. ‘**That is the front he has presented to you, I know, but I know something that lies behind it all. Your father’s will was made in your favor, leaving you the bulk of his property.” Sanne deuce you say! How did you find that out? ‘‘ Your father told me so, himself,” ** Well, I can’t understand it. He has always deqlared I shoulda’t handlo a cent of his money unless I would be a spiritualist,” ‘‘That was only to try to force you to be- come one. Now, that will has been stolen, and it stands to reason that you do not know anytbing about it, The question is, where is the will?” “T give it up.” “Can you tell me anything about that old housekeeper of your father’s?” | ‘*Ha! I'll bet you are on the right track, sir, That woman is a deep one, if there ever was one, I know sometbing about her,” ‘* What do you know ?” | ** Well, I know she is not the innocent old lady she looks to be.” ** That bardly answers the question. Can you ‘te me anything about her which you positively now?” ‘‘ Yes, I can do that, too, but it will be no use telling the old man so, e would not believe it, He sees nothing that isn’t spiritual, so to call it.” ‘*T don’t know about that, He is getting his material eyes opened wonderfully, and I think he’ll be able to see things in their right light pretty soon. But, what is it you know about the — woman?” ‘She bas a daughter in this town who is none too good,” “ Vho is she?” ‘‘Ob! there’s no telling what name sho fs under now, She was sent up onee, and her picture is in the rogues’ gallery.” chooks.com Bh } : ‘ ny hy e/ “* * 2 my VW! ‘. ‘ , Mr . - ’ - % uy ’,” - y e . 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