Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 812 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

re ee See eo , ay wis > : ] € ~ - Ss “ ee eh “ia yor a y ae au = ev ¢ Br, . . h > Beadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Head-off.: *' Bristol City, ——, 18—, * To Mayor Gapzooks or RounpABouT, MINE MANA- GER WOODWORTH, AND OTHEPS:— ‘Your summons bas b en received, and finding it impossible to answer your call owing to press of other business, I send a man in my place, one whom ou may trust fully with whatever business you may Pave in my line. Give him as full an understanding of the case as possible, and thentrust a'ltohim. If iu isa case that can be solved, he willsolve it for you, ‘Yours very truly, *“ RICHARD M, BRISTOL,”’ ‘That speaks high fer you, sir,” declared the mayor, addressing the detective, who had now registered. ‘Tam glad Mr, Bristol can so well recom- mend me, He does not mention my name, I find My name is Dolan Hardy. I recently left the regular service to attach myself to Mr, Bristol’s staff.” This was true; thereader may remember the man, figuring in a previous story under the mame of ‘* Mickey McGee,” **And we are glad to welcome you here, Mr. Hardy,” said the mine-manager. He shook hands with the detective, and some introductions followed, after which the detective went in to supper. . While he was there the others discussed the situation, where the interview with the detec- ‘tive should be held and who should be present, and ‘so forth, and it had not all been settled when he returned, e Now, gentlemen,” he said, ‘‘l am ready for ‘business, ” “All right,” responded the mayor. ‘We have decided to take you to the newspaper office where we can hold our meetin’ in somethin’ of ‘private,” “Best way, I think. Take me where you please,” ** But, we ain’t decided jest who should be ‘there, an’ thought we'd let you say as to that.” ¥. Very well, As I understand it, there are ‘two camps near together here,” ** Yes, so thar be,” ** Then, why not choose some of the leading men of each camp? That, it seems to me, would be proper.” : ** Well, we don't ’bject to that plan; leastways I don’t, ef nobody else kicks about et.” ‘* That’s all right,” agreed Woodworth, ‘‘ Se- ject your men, Mayor Gadzooks.” ‘*And don’t slight the /ustler,” spoke up Editor Sneed, ‘* Well, they ar’ soon choosed,” the mayor re- ‘marked, ‘“ You, manager, and Mayor Kreeps, and Manager Prestley and bis friend hyer; and Sneed, and ther poet, and myself, and Dubby, thar—that is to say, ef you twonewspaper chaps won't fight,” ‘* We will bury our differences for the time,” promised Sneed. ‘*Wull, then, that’s ther jury, so ter call et; 30, come along.” ** Is it understood that I am in this thing, gen- tiemen?” inquired the fighting poet, humbly. ** Yas, ter be sure,” assured the mayor. ‘‘ We wouldn’t slight you, ye know; youar’ a bull team in yerself, even ef ye do spout verses,” “That is what I wanted to know. Didn't want to push myself forward, you see. But, I’m in it only asasilent partner—a passenger, as it were, for the occasion. ** For my harp is dangling on the bough Of the weeping willow tree, | My muse is having ths blues just now, And here’s what’s left of me,”’ CHAPTER XIV. GIVING THE DEPUTY THE CASE. THE poet, while duly respected for his rowess, was liked for his even temper and for his easy flow of nonsensical jingles, which bub- bled forth on every occasion, The crowd laughed at his last-quoted effort, and the poet followed the others of the chosen few who left the room under the mayor's guid- ance, Straight to the office of the Rustler the party ~went, and there Editor Sneed made them feel as much at home as possible, : | ** Now,” said he, ** be at home, gentlemen, an let us get at this business in a business-like way.’ f ’ And ther detective is ther head of ther meet- in’,” said the mayor, Gadzooks. “That being so, I will take right hold,” de- ‘clared the detective, ‘‘ Now, to begin with, just give me the history of the case for which ‘you have called me,” Thereupon Manager Woodworth told the story of the day’s celebration, and the finding of the severed head in the fire-box of the fire- engine, and of its recognition by Little Maggio, as known to the reader, ‘* | suppose there is no doubt about that re- cognition,” the detective observed, after think- ing awhile, ‘* No, it was positive,” said Woodworth, **She’s doubly sure,” put in Gadzooks, “ fer. she-had et dug up after et had bsen planted oncet, ter look at et again,” ‘‘ Ha! that is the case, eb? That shows there was a slight doubt, at least,” ‘* But, she was sure ‘nuff after that,” said Gadzooks, **'W hat made her doubtful?” * “ Well, we don’t jest know; she thought et over all night, 1 reckon, an’ was not satisfied,” ‘‘That must have been it. There seems to be no doubt, then, that the head was that of the missing Joe Meadway.” ** There does not seem to beany doubt,” agreed Woodworth. ‘*'Thatis one point fixed, then. Now, gentle- men, where was this fire-engine received from?” ‘Tt came from Chicago,” answered Wood- worth, ** At a guess, how long would you think that head had been severed from the body?” ** Possibly a couple o’ days; that was what we set et down at,’ ** Then it is plain that it did not come with the engine all the way from Chicago, but was put in it on the Way somewhere,” ‘That looks reasonable,” Sneed, ‘‘ Now, has any one questioned Miss Meadway about the matter?” ‘¢ Ves, I have,” answered the mayor. ** Does she know whether her father had an enemy?” **S 16 don’t think he had any.” “And she knows of no reason why any one should kill him?” sé No,” . ** And least of all, why his head should be sent here, lt looks like a mystery, true enough,” ‘* That is what we call it here.” ‘*And it is one that may never be solved, for there does not seem to be much ofa clue, if any. ** How do you propose going about it?’ asked Mr. Murtagh. ‘* Why, I shall have to set out and trace the course of the engine in its journey here, and sea what I can learn,” ‘* A slow process,” ** True, but the only one open to me,” **And right here I want to say a word for Rustleville,” spoke out Manager Prestley. ‘I have talked with the mayor, and we want tosa for our camp that we are ready to aid in this matter allin pur power. Weare willing to let all our differences rest till this murder mystery is solved,” ‘*Then you think it was a murder?” asked the detective. **T don’t see how it could be anything else,” said themanager. « sé Wh ”) agreed Editor A ** Tf suicide, the head would not be cut off.” * Unless afterward, of course, The man him- self did not put his head in the box, that is true.” **Then you think it may not have been mur- der?” asked Woodworth. “It may uot have been; whocan say? The first and only thing to be done is to track the machine and learn all we can from that source, and then we my be able to see light ahead.” **'Woll, we hope you will find out the truth.” ** And,” said the mayor, ‘‘don’t let expense stand in your way. Make up your mind to win regardless of cost, and we’ll back you,” “*That is what Mr, Bristol always does, gen- tlemen, and lam his deputy. IT ll bring the case out if it isin my power todoit. We stop at nothing when we undertake a matter,” “Then you hold out some bope, do you?” asked Wood worth. * Not a great deal, yet, but still I think I may be able to bring the thing out straight.” **Do you see apy clue to work upon, sir?” in- quired Murtagh. ** Only the clue that we happen to know where the engine came from, and it will be possible to trace it,” “‘And you think it impossible that the head could have come through from Chicago?” ** You must remember I did not see the head; you have heard what others have said about it.” “Well, gentlemen, and you, Mr. Detective, I have something to make known to you—some- thing which I have seen proper to hold back till now. “* | . wee Oe he tee —— ee ra ta —S ae add ep er x eng .< . They were all interest. s ‘““What may it be?’ asked the detective, quietly. ’ ‘*T have mentioned it only to my friend Prestly here. The fact is, 1 happen to know when and where Mr, Meadway died.” ** You do?” éc Yes,” j There was great interest displayed now by all wa save the poet, who sat as he bad declared him- | self to be, an idle passenger. “Tellus what you know, then,” the detective | invited, **T will do so because it is my duty and be- cause I want this mystery cleared up. Joel Meadway was a dear friendof mine, gentlemen, and I have been interesting myself in the hunt for him.” ‘* Hal now we may be coming at something.” ** Yes, asI said, Well, I found bim in a hos- pital in Chicago: sick, or rather suffering from the effects of an accident, and there he died, Before he died he gave me his band and told me : he wanted me to wed his daughter, if I could bring her to marry me,and so become her | natural protector through life.” *t And did he die there, in the hospital?” asked the detective, ‘Yes; and was respectably buried.” "hf ** And when was this?” | The man gave the date. ‘* Impossible that this can have been his head, then,” the detective asserted, boldly. “It would have been far advanced in decay when it reached bere, It would have been discovered by the smell,” | ** But, might it not have been brought, had the Tee | body been embalmed?” | ‘‘Hal that is po'sible. Was the body so fixed?” ' **l am not prepared to say; the thought came to me, thatisall. It must buve been something of the kind, for the daughter here positively rec- ognized the head as that of her father.” F ‘“* Might I be allowed a word?” spoke up the poet, just there, **Cortainly,” leave was given, ‘*' You say Meadway was your friend, sir: did you recognize the head when you saw it when it was dug up? ‘I do not pretend a keen scenter to be, But this is a thought that has just come to me.” It was seen that Mr. Murtagh moved uneasily under this question for a moment before he gave his reply. . ft ‘Well, I would not swear to it,” he said. Ps ‘* You see, gentlemen, knowing as I did that . Meadway had died in Chicago, and had been buried there, I was at a loss to account for how his head could have come here, I was in doubt —would be in doubt still, only for the fact of the daughter’s being so positive,’ ** Here is a nice point,” said the deputy detec- tive. ‘' The daughter bad not seen her father in some time—quite a long time, in fact, while you had seen him quite recently, yet you let your- self be guided by her recognition,” ‘‘ Here is a suggestion,” said Mr, Murtagh, ay sane ts ‘* There is one way to prove whether it is real- ly the head of Mr. Meadway or not; and thatis, | by going to Chicago and having the body taken . ( up. “True, and [ had thought of that; and then, if we find the bead has been severed, that will make the mystery all the deeper, Who would | do such a deed as that, and with what objectin © view 3” . : Sf ‘* That is the point that is puzzling us all,” de- clared Mr. Woodworth, ‘* What I have told you, gentlemen, bas been told in private,” said Murtagh. ‘* My desire is to win this Jady for my wife if I can do it, ac- cording to the promise I made her father, It must be kept still from her, if possible, Iam anxious to have the mystery solved, none the less. ** W bat do you suggest, then?” asked the detec- tive. “Going direct to Chicago, and taking up the trail there, where I know positively it properly begins,” / ‘*T believe you are rigbt. Now I havea clue to work upon, and it may be only a short case after all, Iwill do allI can to sift it to the bottom.” ‘And if need be, I will go with you,” said Murtagh. ‘I am willing to do ailI can in the matter, nO matter what‘it be, Still, I had apie remain here to look after the young ady, ** No doubt.” : | ; ; iy nd what is that?” : J * < - A . a - ¥ . * . ; - “4 oS @ i * : A, ‘ e * i I ’ books.c " x Vert vate i eAIEG TR ca —— = . | O \ | re an Sa ! ~ - wae Comic i a