Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 793 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 Dick Doom in Chicagro. poor mother’s affairs, as she left some property which comes to me now,” “You will never need it, never, forIl am a millionaire, Leo, and dog are my only son and heir, yes, all I have left in the world now, and all I bave is yours.” CHAPTER XIV, THE HEIR TO MILLIONS. THERE were rumors and rumors floating abouc the town. First it was said that Mr, Carroll bad adopted Leo Leffingwell, who, had Clarice lived, would have become his son-in-law, Then came the story that Leo Letfingwell bad been secretly married, and the man was in reality the son-in-law of the millionaire, Next was a rumor that was more startling, for it had leaked out in some way that Clarice had left a letter giving her reasons for her suicide. These reasons were that in Leo Leffingwell she had discovered a half-brother, a son by her father’s first marriage, and the thought of having fallen in love with one thus connected by kindred ties, though innocent upon her part and his, bad so weighed upon her mind that she had taken her own life, It was also eee, about that Leo Leffing- well was married, and this discovery had af- fected Clarice to such an extent that she had committed suicide, As a proof that the man was his son, Mr, Car- roll had presented bim as such, and by the name of Leo Carroll. He had also let it be known that Leo Carroll was his beir, and whatever might have been thought about the stranger before, with such a backing he was regarded with the highest esteem, and treated with marked consideration. As a proof of the regard felt for bim, he was at once invited to join the Swelldom Club, and so drifted into other clubs, the S»ortsman’s, Fisticuff, and the Canvas and Crayon, for Leo Carroll was considerable of an artist, it was dis- covered, He sung well, too, and though avoiding being dragged into a church choir, was made a mem- ber of the Classical Music Club. It seemed that all these honors were forced upon him, for he bad remained much at home, only going out for a drive with bis father on pleasant afternoons, and until months had passed after the tragic death of Clarice, never appearing at the opera or in society. Mr, Carroll was glad to see his son so much sought after, and said: ** Tt will not do to have a shadow always upon our house, Leo, so let the sunlight in and enjoy life, as you have the means to do, ‘*'Yos, let the clouds roll by and make life worth the living.” Leo Carroll had gone West to sell out bis in- terests in his ranch, had stopped at Omaha to erect a monument over his mother’s grave, and to settle up her belongings, and though his father had urged upon him to draw upon him for money, had never found it necessary to do 80. With the coming of another spring, however, Leo Carroll felt that he could enjoy himself, so he visited the opera, attended the club, drove bis splendid team upon the Boulevard, gave din- ners and suppers, and at last ordered a yacht built, which was to outcluss all others upon the ——) and be a thing of beauty and luxury as we His father was delighted when Leo’s dogs took the prizes at the show, his horses won the purses at the fairs and on the course, and his yacht led the fleet in all the races, The old gentleman was lavish in his gifts of money to his son, always saying: “It is for you, all of it, Leo, and you cannot even spend your income,” But through all Leo Carroll was ever a dutiful son, and he devoted himself to his father at al] times, always thinking of his comfort and pleasure. He was not a drinking man, other than to en- joy his wine at meals, never played cards for money, did not seem extravagant beyond cer- tain luxuries and enjoyments, and was liked by every one, The best ‘‘catch” in Chicago, he was sought after by fond mothers, while lovely girls who would like to be mistress of such a home as was mod Carrolls’, fairly threw themselves at his oe A tinge of romance hung over him, of mys- tery too, for the rumors of his being a married man he had never seen fit to contradict, Society adored him, the members of the clubs LL rr SSeS to which he belonged voted him A No, lasa man, and one and all sung his praises, The track people spoke of him as a first-class driver and rider, and one who knew a horse from hoofs to ear-tips, The yacbhtsmen said he was the best amateur sailor upon che lakes, and the bon vivants assert- ed that he could give the best dinners and sup- pers of any one of their acquaintance, When he went to the opera or theater be was the cynosure of every eye, and elderly ladies and gentlemen vowed that such a son as was Leo Carroll was a joy forever. He bad made some improvements in the house, for the library wing, where Clarice had taken her life, and above which were her rooms, had been torn away and another addition put on which had been made into an art gallery, and another wing had been turned into a library. Out in the cemetery @ massive column of mar- ble had been reared over the grave of the beauti- ful suicide, and upon a tablet of bronze was sim- ply her name, age and date of her death, n the mansion, as the old servants about brought to the mind constantly of Mr, Carroll the memory of his dead daughter, Leo had sent them away and secured others, while the house- hold furniture had all been changed for a like reason, The bealth of the millionaire bad also begun to fail again, as in the time when he had gone South with Clarice, and many said that it would not be very long before Samuel Carroll would be laid in the cemetery beside his loved daughter, for though he dearly loved his devoted son, his idol in life had been the beaatiful suicide, But to those who spoke to Leo Carroll about his father’s failing health he would say: “‘Wather has not been very strong for years, but he isin no danger and will live to a ripe old age.” CHAPTER XV, DICK DOOM IN CHICAGO, “You are Mr. Richard Doom, detective, I believe?” So asked the chief of police of Chicago, ad- dressing a young man who stood before him, and who had just been admitted to his presence, ‘No, sir, my name is Dick Doom, and lama human ferret,” was the answer, The chief of police looked at the young man with renewed interest, He took him in from head to feet. He saw a man of medium height, slender form, and a well-knit frame, and a face that was @ Study for an artist. He was neatly dressed, bad an air of being in circumstances and spoke like one who had perfect confidence in himself, ‘*T have heard of you, Mr. Dick Doom, and I sent to my friend the New York chief, to recom- mend a man to me whom [ could put upon a most dangerous end intricate piece of detective work, and he spoke of you, gave me your address and hence I wrote you, ‘‘T am glad to meet you, Mr. Doom, 80 sit down and we will have a talk together.” The detective did as he was requested and the chief went on: ‘“ When did you arrive in our city?” ‘* An bour ago, sir,” ‘* Have you put up, yet?” ‘* Yes sir, at the Grand Pacific.” ‘‘ That is rather expensive, is it not?” “ Yes, sir, but I always stop at the best hotels, for there I have a better chance to study human nature,” ** Very true, ‘* You are just from the West I believe?” ‘From Denver, sir,” ‘Do you know Chicago?” ‘*To a limited extent, sir; but it does not take me very long to learn a city or its people.” ‘“T have heard of you as a very remarkable man, Mr. Doom,” ‘* Thank you, sir,” “The New York chief was here some months ago and we talked of you, and he told me, if I ever needed a man to ferret out a case that baffled others to send for you, ‘“‘T bave just such a case on hand, and so I wrote him for your address, and I am glad that I was so fortunate as to secure your services,” ‘“* Thank you, sir; but [ was about to come to Chicago, when [ received your letter.” ‘* Indeed, and on Secret Service business?” ‘* Yes, sir, for havea prisoner for you, one who left your city a week ago and who walked into a trap I set for him in Denver,” ‘* Ah! this is interesting. ‘’ May I ask wh t he has been guilty of?” ** Counterfeiting United States money, sir,” ‘* The very business I wished to set you upon was to find a band of counterfeiters who are spreading a great deal of the queer here in Chicago,” ‘* tf it is Domino Dick you wish, he is the man I have with me.” The chief spruug to his feet with an exclama- tion of pleased surprise while he cried; ‘* That 1s the very man, Domino Dick, Sport- ing Sam, Spartan Saul, Captain Cosmos and by half a dozen names is tie known, ** He shoved the queer while dealing faroina lar.,@ gam/ling-house bere, the miners not be- ing over-particular atout the money they got, pat giving up good bills for 1t without knowing t ‘* He did the same thing on the race tracks, and then in selling tickets for a grand prize fight where thousands were taken in and the change was all in the queer. ‘* He got up excursions on the lakes and roped in another harvest of good money, and banded out the bad, “‘Then my men lost him, after tracking him thus far, through the names and places | have mentioned, ‘* But counterfeit money still came into circu- lation, and the whole of my force could not de- tect any one man who passed it, except a cattle- man pow and then who did it innocently, baving been im on himeelf,” Dick Doom laughed, ‘** You seem amused ?” ‘“ Yes, sir, for it was your innocent cattlemen who were the passers of counterfeit money.” ‘+ What?” ** Fact, sir,” ** Have you proof of this?” st Oh, yes, sir.” “And will give it to me?” ‘“* Certainly, for tbat is what I am here for.” **T shall be glad to hear all that you have to tell, Mr. Doom,” ** Well, chief, your man, when closely watched as sport, ticket seller and steamboat excursionist, sg yt Erepebety) *“*He began to do the stock yards, go to the places where the cattlemen put up, and picking out his men made them the shovers of the Sh pe he time he wished them to get off a lot of it. ‘** And he was here in Chicago making it all the time?” ‘* He was herein Chicago until called away by a decoy letter I sent to him, ‘‘ Here he was known as Parson Paul—” ‘* Ha! a man I have often had reported to me as a good preacher who was doing much good in the stcck yards and oe im) the slums.” ‘* T'bat is your man, for he is a good preacher, but a very bad man. ‘He bas Bible quotations at tke tip of his tongue, is elcquent, sings well and draws a crowd about bim, often doing good, but general- ly j aval, bis men for his work of wickednesa, and he never fails in reading bis man, never makes a mistake,” ‘**'You amaze me!” ‘‘I was working up the retreat of a band of counterfeiters in Colorado, and I found that they never passed a dollar of the money there, that it was all sent from Denver to Chicago, ‘“*T discovered that each week a package left the Express Office in Denver marked sam and valued at a high figure. ‘These packages were addressed to: DOCTOR PAUL MATTHEWS, U. S,, ASSAYER, No, — West Adams st. Chicago, Ill, ‘‘T came on to Chicago and discovered that the Government had no such agssayer, and that a Parson Paul made his home at the number named, ‘‘There was a woman there, whom I asked abont getting rooms, and I recognized her as one I had seen in Denver several times, ‘‘ She had no rooms to let, and watching I saw Parson Paul come in, ‘¢ T had seen him too in Denver, ‘*So I returned to Denver, and went to the stable where the woman and the man, whom I bad met there, hired a team to go into the country with, ‘‘The driver told me he had left them at a certain ranch, ‘*T procured a horse and stopped at the ranch all night, and the woman | saw there was strangely like the one I had seen in Chicago, and I told her I knew & lady who was the image of her, ‘‘She said she had a twin sister there, and \ -. a . t Le ' \ ) z Leg tof - ae 7 ; \ Dively 7 ss. Le efere) .<