Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 775 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

{ TT Fea Sie Ca ee Broadway Billy’s Shadow Chase. 3 ** Well, it is all settled, then. about fixing you out for clothes, for of course you won’t play bootblack all the time, though that is one of the best cards you can have in hand, I want you to do your best, Harry, if in are going to take the place of Broadway illy. At that moment the door opened. The person who entered was Billy’s patron saint, the person above all others whose confi- dence he cared for, the metropolitan chief! ** (;ood-morning, Billy!” be greeted. ‘I see you are open for business, as you said you in- tended,” ‘** Good-morning!” Billy responded, rising and offering bis hand. ‘‘ Yes,Il am on hand, but business isn’t crowding me very hard, yet.” The chief smiled. ** Don’t expect too much,” he advised. ‘‘ This is your birthday, I believe,” ** Yes, sir.” ** And you are twenty-one,” 46 Yes,’ ‘* Well, Iam your first caller, I suppose.” ‘Yes, sir.” **Exceptin’ me,” put in Harry. ‘‘I was on hand before the office opened fer business.” ** And who are you?” the chief asked. **Mr. Westoa will tell you that, sir.” ‘‘He is a boy 1 have engaged,” Billy ex- plained, ‘** And a likely boy he looks, too. What is he going to do? You want him in the office, I suppose,” ‘**[ want bim to take the place I am stepping out of,” answered Billy. ‘* He is going to be Broadway Billy, second—to do the work that only a boy can do.” ‘**Ha! I see. Nota bad idea, But, I doubt whether he will be able to fill your old shoes, Billy. That remains to be seen. I have con- fidence in your judgment in that respect, how- ever. Now,I have not come here for an idle purpose, but on business,” ‘* Anything I can do?” Billy asked, That will have to.be seen. Let me explain. In the first place, [ wanted to bring you good luck,’ ‘Glad to hear that.” ‘*Some folks believe that the first caller or customer at a new office or place of business de- termines the success of the establishment, If there is anything in that, and if my standing counts for anything, here I am.” tm sure I’m thankful for your kindness, sir. ‘Don’t mention that! Besides that, business brings me here, As/this is your birthday, and as you have just opened for business, I want to put a case into your hands, 1 don’t mean that I want your help on a case, but I am going to turn one over to you entirely.” ‘*T’m balf afraid to take it, and that’s the solid truth,” ‘‘ Nonsense! It may not be an easy one; in fact, I am sure it will not be; but, I want you to take aold of it, all the same.” ) ** What sort of case is it?” “That I intend to leave for the person most interested to explain in his own way, so that you can draw your first impressions rigbt from headquarters, as it were, You know there is some advantage in that.” ‘*'Yes, so there is, Who is this person you speak of?” ‘*His name is Matthias Rundle. He will probably call here about ten o’clock. I have al- ready referred him to you.” ** Well, I don’t know how to thank you, sir, and I'll try to do my best, and so not make you ashamed of having referred him to me, I never felt so little confidence in myself as I do this morning.” ‘* Don’t let your feelings trouble you any. Whep this man comes to see you he may ex- press some surprise at finding so young a man, ut you can soon Convince him that your head is older than your appearance, and it will not take you long to impress him the right way.” ** Perhaps.” “I know it, I have measured your capacity more than once, Billy Weston. I would not take this interest in you, if I did not know what there is in you, That San Francisco badge of yours is a whole volume in itself. Then your record at Denver is one not to be ashamed of, There is no perhaps about it.” ** Well, [ only hope your confidence isn’t mis- placed, sir.” ‘*Sodol. If it sbould ever turn out so, then I'd be convinced that my observing powers do not; amount to much.” ‘* And I hope some day you'll have confidence iin me, too,” spoke up Happy Harry, boldly, : We'll see ** That’s what [’m goin’ to work for, the same as Billy did.” ** [t remains to be seen what you can do,” was the serious response, ‘* You are beginning on a record already made, you must remember. If you hold your own you will! have good reason to congratulate yourself,” Then the chief took his leave. CHAPTER IIL. RATHER A REMARKABLE REQUEST. AFTER the departure of Billy’s first caller, Billy and Happy Harry fell to talking again, and Harry strengthened the good impression he had already made upon the mind of his young employer. Harry’s history was brief, and it was the same as the history of many a poor boy in mighty Gotham. Born of pocr parents, his father dying when he was yet a babe, and bis mother follow- ing soon after, be had been kicked upon the streets and was a genuine specimen of the genus gamin. ‘* Well,” said Harry, finally, ‘‘ hadn’t I better take myself away fer the present? I ain’t a very sightly ornament to a gentleman’s cffice.” ‘‘No, don’t go yet,” ordered Billy. ‘Stay and get a look at this Mr. Rundle when he comes. It may be useful for you to know him by sight, As soon as he comes you may go,” ** All right.” ‘*And then, if I don’t see you again before noon, you go home and introduce yourself tomy mother and tell ber Isent you. I heve spoken to ber about you, and it will be all right.” ‘* You’re the boss, sir, and I'll do jest as you say. Christopher Columbia! I can’t hardly be- lieve this is me! Ter tbink that I should be in the *ploy of the genuine Broadway Billy— It ’most takes away my breath. Can’t seem to re- alize it yet, nohow. But, seems ter be the fack, sure enough,” “Ob, it is so, Harry; and I want you to do all you can to prove how much you care for me, “And Tll do it—crackers an’ cheese, yes! Jest as you had the ambition to win the confi- dence of the great mogul, so / have a desire to get there in your regard. I’m goin’ ter try, hard,” | A step was heard in the hall, a step accom- panied with a hard thump, and the door opened. A little old man came in, a heavy cane in his right hand and bis left on the knob of the door, with which he closed the door after him softly. He scrutinized Billy, and then Happy Harry, and in a moment made known the object of his call, in a high, thin voice. ** Where is Mr. Weston?” he demanded. ‘**1 am Mr. Weston, sir,” Billy answered, The old man brought bis cane down upon the floor with a hard thump, shaking his head, **No! no!” be cried, impatiently; ‘*I mean Mr. Weston the detective, Your father, I pre- sume, seeing that is your name. Where is the other Mr. Weston ” Billy bad to smile. ‘*T am the only Mr. Weston who has anything to do with this office, sir,” he declared, ‘Is your name Matthias Rundle, sir?” he inquired. ‘*If it is, lam probably the person you are look- ing for.” The old man had straightened up with a start, at mention of the name. “That is certainly my name,” he admitted; ‘** but, how came you to know me? I am not aware that I ever saw you before.” Happy H had been edging toward the door, having taken a good look at the old man, and now, as the visitor advanced into the room, opened the door and slipped out. Billy noted his going, and that he had obeyed bis injunction about taking a mental picture of Mr. Rundle before leaving the office. He noted, too, that he had not gone till he had heard the man’s name, These points pleased the detec- tive. ‘‘ Harry will do,” he told himself. ** And I am sure I have never seen you before, sir,” he made response to the visitor, ‘‘ I guessed at; your name from the fact that I was expect- ing a man of that name to call on me,” ‘‘Hal Then you had been told of my com- ing?” I had been told that you had been directed to my office, sir.” “Hum! Yes, I have been sent here, and by @ man in whom I had much confidence; but I expected to find a man bere, and not a boy.” ‘‘ Well, please be seated,” requested Billy, “and we will talk it over. Take that chair; I think you will find that one comfortable, No, I am not very old, I admit, but I have bad ex- perience,” SS “1m! Whatdo you think you can do in a case like mine?” ‘*T can do the best I can, sir, and no man can do avy more than that, When I take hold of a case I make up my mind that lam going to work it out, and I bave never been defeated yet. I am prepared to render the best service l am capablejof, sir.” ‘** Well, well, I suppose it is all right, or a man ike the chief would not have recommended you tome. He spoke highly of you, and it is plain that he bas confidence in you. He sent you word, then, that I would call on you, did he? That was kind of him. Wanted to make sure I’d find you in, I suppose.” ‘‘He came here and told me himself,” an- swered Billy. ‘‘Hal Came here in person, did he? Well, well, it must be all right. And he spoke about my case, did he? What do you think of it?” ‘‘-Yes, he spoke about it, sir; but before I give you my opinion I want to bear all about it from your own lips, We are alone here, and you may speak out freely. I will pay atten- tion,” The old gentleman looked around. ‘‘ Where is that boy that was here?” he de- manded, ‘* He bas gone out,” answered Billy, ‘‘ He was only a bootblack.” ‘* Well, he disappeared mysteriously, that’s all. He was right there the last I saw of bim,” “You did not notice him, that wasall, sir. But, let me hear your story, if you please, if you are going to trust me with the matter, and we will talk it over and see what can be made out of it. ‘1m! Yes, business must be attended to. Let me tell you, young man, before I begin, that my case puzzied the: chief; when I laid it before bim.” **T have no doubt of it, sir. A case that is not puzziing is not worth takinsz to a detective at all. The more puzzling the matter the harder the work, and the harder the work the more de- termined we are to win,” ‘‘T see, I see, I begin to think I have not been sent amiss in being directed to you.” Mr. Rundle rested his chin on bis bands for some moments, his hands crossed on the head of his cane, and was silent and thoughtful. ‘*No; I cannot understand it,’ he declared, presently. ‘*I can’t understand it. I can’t un- derstand it at all. Not at all Why my dead daughter should appear to me so regularly, week after week, is more than I can fathom,” Billy pricked up bis ears at this bit of infor- mation, Wbat manner of case was he about to take hold of, anyhow? Was this old man in bis right mind? ** And you can’t understand what I am talking about, either, 1 suppose?” the old man observed, ‘* You can’t understand that any better than [ can understand the mystery of the affair, Why should a dead girl return and demand money of her father? Can you tell me that, sir?” ** No, lam not prepared to explain it yet,” was Billy’s reply. ** And aes afraid you never will be prepared to explain it, either. You are not a spiritualist, are you, sir?” ‘* No, sir,” Billy answered promptly. “Sol scibdived: I have failed to find a detec- tive whois one. It seems detectives do not take to that faith.” ‘*] guess you are right, sir. Detectives gener- ally bave enough to do in looking after flesh and blood, without fooling away any time on spirits, Besides, the two ideas don’t hitch very well,” ‘* Maybe you are right. Bethat as it may, I failed to find one of that faith. You see, sir, I thought if I could find one who was a spiritualist be would be better able to understand the situs- tion than one who was not. Failing, 1 must do the best I can, you see.” “* Exactly.” ‘* Now, I am very glad to see my daughter, sir, and it gives me great comfort when she tells me of her bappiness in the other world; but her demands for money are becoming rather wear- ing on my nerves, to say nothing of its making a hele in my funds, and [ want to know what becomes of the money,” ‘‘ Sweet pertaters!” Billy exclaimed in mind, His position was now too dignified to admit of bis using bis pet ejaculation aloud. ‘‘ What is wanted of me, anybow? Does be want me to disembody myself and go on an exploring expe- dition into the land of shadows? This is likely to be a little wearing on my nerves, the same as it is on his and his bank account,” ‘* You are silent,” the old man observed. ‘““T was thinking,” returned Billy. ‘* Do