Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 813 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

J a a) * : 4 ¥ me . ’ : i - 5 y ' re, hy oe ee iter et, 4" Le oe) Ll ey of} Sok 5 ae o~ 5 oth a Sm resh. wee .4- * ; ie ea © ae) iA ee o * wr ae CONS | — 7 “ee 2 ‘*T cannot tell you that, sir.” You will not, you mean?” ‘*] must say yes, sir, I will not.” ‘Can I not belp you in the trouble you seem ‘; to have upon you?” ‘* No, sir, no one can help me, save perhaps one other than myself.” ‘**Can I not be that other?” 4 ‘No, sir, you could do nothing, though are ever so willing.” ‘¢ Will you not tell me who the one is that can help you?” you % ‘* [ will only say, sir, thatit is a detective, and though hemay not know that he is aiding me, I feel that he is doing so and can do so.” \ ‘* Well, lad, I will pry no more into your af- fairs, but I sent for you to ask you to notify Mr. Dixey that I wish to see him to-night, upon his return from the theater, and also to tell you good-by, for I leave here at an early hour,” You leave the hotel, sir?” +6 Yes. ? “Will you not give me an address that will reach you, sir, for I havea motive in asking, though I cannot explain it.” ** Yes; address me here, at the hotel, for I will send here for my letters,” | ‘*Tbank you, sir.” ass ‘* Now, Billy, here is a souvenir for you,” and the detective placed a ten-dollar gold-piece in the hand of the boy. Billy shrunk from taking it, muttered some- thing that was inaudible, but dropped it into his ket. ‘‘ Tot me know when Mr. Dixey will receive me, Billy.” ‘* Yes, sir,” and the boy left the room, while a strange smile crossed the face of Dick Doom— one that seemed like a smile of triumph, An hour after Billy knocked at the door and said that ‘‘ Mr, Dixey would be glad to see Mr. The disguised detective followed Billy and was ushered into the actor’s pleasant rooms, | Dixey was alone, and cordially greeted the ee PS —_* —_ Ss * supposed Scotchman, who said: “IT am going to take my departure, Mr, Dixey, and wish to thank you for the pleasure you have given me and to say good-by.’ ** So you did not get angry with me at my un- kind impersonation of you, Mr. Mackintost?” asked Dixey, smiling. “* No, indeed; I en joyed it, But it was no im- personation of myself, ““My friends flattered me bY saying it was perfect,” and Henry Dixey looked a little chagrined at the view taken of his clever work by the one he had copied. | ‘*T grant that it was clever of Mackent Mack- intosh, the Scotchman, but not of me.” * Why, you are—” ; “Dick Doom, at your servica, Mr, Dixey,” and tearing off his wig and false beard ef a Scotchman, the detective stood revealed. “The devil!” exclaimed Dixey, astounded at discovering in the one he bad impersonated the Ferret of tue Golden Fetters, _ “No, Mr, Dixey, iar ne claim to being his Satanic Highness, simply Dick Doom.” ae * You are the Wizard of Secret Service men sare, but does the chief know how I was oole : a“ < | ‘‘ Ho did not know it until afterward, sir, “The truth is, [took a room here to watch those who visited you, and [ have discovered Sho Mccicot Mackeut MAbsauaen no Tiere e placing of Mackent Maxgcin 80 1 leave the hotel in that character to-night,” Pa ‘* But you surely do not give up the case?” — ‘*Ohb, no, I never leave a trail until I see the et ott and Iam just now striking the right rac . ‘*'You have made some discovery of import- ance?’ quickly said the actor. | **T have nothing yet that is tangible,” “When you have you will tell me?” . Yes. and do not worry about those dia- “One must feel a little blue at the thought of having to give found, but 1 am not one to repine over what must be, and what cannot be cured, you know, | That is good philosoph . Dixey; but | good-night,” and resum py Are 4 a aa returned to bis r m, i ng the actor st the thief who had stolen the Aquero eS CBA TER XXVIII, DICK DOOM V THE COUNTRY. Ck Doom had heard enough from the shadowers of Billy; the Bell-Boy, to decide upon i ée # - ; ' >» —_ 4 more impr Dick Doom’s Diamond up a fortune if they are not } isguise the detec- | _——S — — OCF ry we going himself to see what he could discover of the mysterious lad, who, with a handsome and luxurious home, frpm all accounts, had gone to accept a situation in a hotel where the pay, even with fees, could not be very great. He therefore set out for the home of the lad in New Jersey, going in no disguise as was his wont so often to do, Arriving in Red Bank he hired a horse and buggy ata stable, confident from the descri tion given him by the shadowers that he could readily find the place, He drove for several miles into the country, and then came in sight of a large and handsome mansion, ; | Extensive grounds surrounded it, with many acres of land on either side. The fences were all in goed order, there wer large outbuildings, and upon all these rested an air of prosperity and comfort, He drove inthrough the massive gateway, hitcbed his horse, and to the servant who came to the door gave his card, that of D. Richards, and asked to see Mrs, Hartwell, Soon after a lady of slender, graceful form en- tered, and with a dignity of mien tbat was com- manding, Her black hair bad in it here and there a silver thread, but her large black eyes were full of ex- pression and still a handsome woman of forty, she showed traces of having possessed wondrous besuty in her younger years, She was dressed in black, and yet wore a dia- mond breast-pin, earrings and rings, all of con- siderable value, ‘*May Task to what circumstance I am in- debtedf or Mr, Richards’s call upon me?” she ask- ed with a slight accent and with a manner that plainly said she was anxious to know why the visitor had called, “If you will allow mea few minutes, Mrs, Hartwell, and penion me, a stranger, for calling upon you, I will explain my mission,” was the answer, ‘ There was something in the face of the detec- tive, the tone of his voice and manner that com- manded respect and quite broke through the icy reserve of the lady, for she said: ‘* Certainly, sir, be seabed, please.” Dick sat down Only when Mrs, Hartwell had done so, and then said: ‘*Mrs. Hartwell, [ have been stopping at the hotel where your son is,” The words were few, but telling, for the lady turned pale and aske anxiously: ; ** Has harm befallet. my-—my poor child?” ** No, mo, I have no tidings of pain to com- ie ate only 1 have taken a fancy to Billy, a — “ Billy?” ‘“* He is so known at the hotel, madam,” ne ae yes, yes; but did you come to me from m “I did not, for he would not give me your ai- ee Then may I ask how you knew of my dwell- ng here ‘“My dear lady, [ became interested in your son, and sought to find out more of him, “lam e in a certain work which I sought his aid in, which I wassure that he could help in, and seeing him often I became more and more interested in bim and regretted to see him alone in a large and wicked city,” ‘‘ Alas! sir, thet has been a source of more re- gret and anxiety to me than you can ever know.” ‘‘ Heeling this interest in your son, I sought to find out more about bim, and did so, ‘“What did you discover?” came the quick, startled question of the mother, ‘*T discovered that he could greatly aid me in the work I had on hand, that he was moat cir- cumspect in all his actions, a good, upright boy, living by bimself in genteel quarters, sbunning his companions all in bis power, though ever polite, kind, and generous to them, and that he Aaah keep his real name and home hidden om all, / “* And how did you find out all this, sir, though I pos mench pleased to hear your good account of m gs yess of some sine Tam engaged upon, “Yop” |, 2.8m a detective,” You a detective, sir?” Onn You have packed my son out vail arty am, for the purpose of becoming more intimately acquainted with him, with one MEOW east erust to help me in my work,” “Ty tracked him here when be came to see you, — | acce his services, — ~*~ se rer~y: he gyre es -~.-" > oty—« P - . ee ow lays ago, and so now call upon you my- self, ‘* or what reason, Mr. Richards?’ and Mrs, Hartwell spoke with marked coldness, ‘Mrs, Hartwell, I see that I have not inspired. you with confidence, in stating to you that lam a detective,” “i cannot understand your business with me,, sir, ‘“‘Tt ig to serve you and your son, for lam tracking one who is known to both youand your son, ' “It may be that he is all that is noble, that you are both attached deeply to bim, and I may be wrong in my surmise regarding him; but in my pcreen a we must often cut deep to heal,, aud I can spare no one until that one is proven guiltless or guilty. ‘“*T refer, Mrs. Hartwell, to Antonio Aquero, as the man whom [ am tracking,” and the eyes of Dick Doom were riyeted upon the woman’s: face as he uttered the words, CHAPTER XXIX, A SKELETON IN THE CLOSET, At the name of Antonio Aquero Mrs, Hart-. wol! gave a start, and her face assumed a deeper lior, . She felt that the eyes of the detective were. upon her, and with a powerful effort at self-con- trol she asked: ‘‘ Do you know Senor Antonio Aquero, sir?” ‘¢T must answer that I have never, to my owm knowledge, met him,” ‘* You spoke of bim just now as one whom you. wished to fina?’ ‘¢ Yes, madam,” ‘‘- You referred to him as one you sought, for reasons you did not give, yet stated that you were a detective?” 3 ‘‘-Yes, Mrs, Hartwell, 1 am a detective, and I seek (Senor Aquero for reasons I have not. iven, st This would imply that he bas been guilty of’ some wrong,” ‘*No, I do not 80 say, yet I assert that he is: under suspicion of guilt.” ‘* What is he suspected of?” : ‘* Mrs, Hartwell, as I told you, I came here to: aid your son, and if my surmise is right, 1 be- lieve that he knows Antonio Aquero, ‘* Am I rigbt?” Mrs, Hartwell remained silent and Dick Doon: coutinued: “Tam a detective, and yet lam one witha heart for those who I find may suffer through the wrongs of others, “To explain, I was engaged upon the work lL ne ysl in a5, ~ of Rae your son may ave told you, Knowing Aquero aslIam sure that he does, pate | | ‘Mr. Heary E, Dixey, the famous actor, was robbed of jewels left in his keeping by Antonio — Aquero, his friend. | ‘Mr, Dixey’s own valuables were not taken, other than a pin given him by Aquero, andthis bstracted from the jewel-box of the actor, was a all else remaining un . “ The stolen genes are Valued at oree thousand! dollars, but tuis large sum Mr, Dixey is pr ’ to pay Aquero on demand, as in honor bound, ** When I called on Mr. Dixey, in disguise, the, keen eyes of your son detected me, and he spoke: to me, asking to be employed on this case as my: ally. a I saw that he was no ordinary person, and L ‘‘In other disguises, which he did not: | penetrate, 1 saw and studied your son,I had him shadowed, tracked him to bis rooms and: knew him to have been raised in refinement,, to bave been ed.cated, considerable of an artist. and wusician, end yet a bell-boy in a hotel,. | accepting fees from the guests, which be did not. need, as 1 discovered that he had plenty of money. | ‘ There was some motive for this strange life: of his, and I sifted it untillam sure that he is doing detective work himself, and more, that 3 Bae Aquero is the man heis on the track | 0 7 ‘I’ bad him shadowed to his home here, and — so I came to see you, for, if I can get the story of your gson’s wrongs, and why he tracks Aquero, from you, then there ig no need for the © Jad to lead the perilous life he does as I will take — all Peony off his shoulders, ow 7 % -¥ —_ . — | t~ » Mrs, Hartwell, you und 2 ete ’ i , Oo erstand my ** ae position, and that Iam the friend, not the foe => Oo understand now, Mr, Richards,andT feel that I can trust you,” said the lady warm- i “Do you not think I bave found vut enough ay oe Wy , e ae vi 2" a) Si sy ‘te BY TF ew ' PAS valk ase sbooks.com’