Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 813 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

Dick Doom’s Diamond Deal. lar? Well, no, not as the thief.” ** Do you need aid from any of my men?” vg You have some suspicion of one in particu- ‘*] have an able assistant, thank you, in a person [ ran upon, but should I need any aid r om you I will at once ask it,” sé Do sO ” upon any of tne hotel guests? of hotel patrons.” ‘* Remember, chief, no one is above suspecting under some circumstances,” ‘*Then your suspicions lie upon some one uest?” ‘* No, I only wish to know all about them,” **T can get you the information in a few hours.” ‘** Thank you, no, for I have an assistant board- in the hotel,” Good! see, Dick ing et play no game to lose, chief,” was the calm reply of the young detective, who was now _ dressed in his ordinary garb of every-day life, . ——— ree - eS ha ae oer a a wT =. : ‘ ee ee ee Mtge - - - o fj il Cy = a s er IP aS —— i.e 4 .* F ”~ “> a = he Ps £ am Me. wa: - ‘. . | No’s. 772, 777, 784, 788, 793, 798, 803 and 808. ‘**Do you need any money, Dick?” ** Not a dollar,” ‘*IT kaow that you are always well supplied, but then you are spending much, or will, upon ““ Now let me ask if your suspicions have fallen ‘* Well, no, not after I had looked over the list B l siasm y y L d H of B y 3 this venture,” ‘* If successful the State will pay for it, and if not I can afford the loss,” “The latter contingency|is hardly fair to ou.” ‘*T accept it, though,” ** Let me congratulate you upon your recent very remarkable ferret work in the West, in Washington City and the case you ran to earth in this city,” * F ** They were cases that interested me greatly, as in fact all of my cases do,” ‘* Well, L only wish I could settle you here in New York, for | would make you Chief of the Ferrets,” ‘‘Thank you, chief, but I am a creature o circumstances, a ferret by nature as well as by rofession, and I have a duty to perform which ies at the bottom of all of my other Secret Ser- vice work—in truth, is the basis which prompted me to become a detective, “*T must go and come at will, accept or refuse what I please, and so go on following my des- tiny as abuman hound to run down my fellow- men, yes, and women,” and Dick Doom spoke in a low, earnest tone, which convinced the chief that he had a history of his own, perhaps more mysterious than any he attempted to solve for others—that he was indeed a man of mystery. CHAPTER XI, DIXEY’S IMPERSONATION, TRUE to his promise, Mackent Mackintosh ata his box at the theater on the foliowing night. ut he was not alone, for there sat near him a feay neatly dressed, and whose handsome ace was in striking contrast to the pretended Scotchman, with the long red sile-whiskers, glasses and lugubrious expression, while he seemed conscious only of his own existence, e hada high standing collar, a red necktie, the same lond-looking checked suit and yellow gloves, while his wiz was as shaggy as the wool & mountain goat, _ The youth by his side, thouzh be had dis- carded his livery, was readily recognized as | Billy the Bell-Boy. Hie bad answered a call that afternoon to the room of the disguised detective, and had been iven an tovitation to the theater that evening. Billy had declined the invitation on account of having just gone on duty, but the detective said - anes get bim excused and have him go, and e did so, Billy went home to change his livery for some _ Suitable attire, and met the pretended Scotck- _ man at the theater door. To his great surprise Billy found that they were to have a box, and he glanced with some _ trepidation of manner over the crowded theater. he Scotchman took a seat where all could see him, and jplaced the youth where he was able to have a better view of the stage, and in silence the two awaited the raising of the curtain until -preseatly there entered the o ite box a ‘Eentleman and several ladies, ints “That is the chief of police, sir,” whispered eee = * See * Dick Doom ”’ Series of Hautr-Diwe LIBRARY ou are playing this game to win, I oom,” said the chief with enthu- \ cate THE AUTHOR. ay | a4) | ‘ , é‘ . LOR n Oa Ae Gente Teen he Me See = « ia ae Billy as he recognized the gentleman in the other box. The detective glanced over at him, as though the chief of police had neither terrors or charms for him, and soon after the curtain went up and every eye that had been enjoying the striking appearanice of the Scotchman, who sat all un- conscious that he was being guyed, was now riveted upon the stage, Dixey’s entrance was greeted with a tre- mendous round of applause, in which the detec- tive and Billy joined and the play went on with vim and fascination for all. When the curtain fell upon the first act, the chief of police left his box and went back upon the stage to Dixey’s dressing-room. ‘*You saw your Scotch friend in the box, Dixey?” ‘* Ah, yes, and [ hope he’ll recognize himself upon the stage when I impersonate him,” replied the actor with a laugh, ‘* He is not alone to-night,” ‘** No, and who do you ig on it is with him?” ‘1 do not know, though I have seen the youth somewhere before, 1 am sure,” ** It is Billy.” ** What Billy?” ““The bell-boy who has shown you to my rooms a dozen times, chief.” vis ad Jupiter, but you are right, ‘* He brought the bell-boy with him for com- pany then?” ‘** Yes,” and soon after the chief returned to bis box and once more the curtain rose, When at last the scene came in which Henry Dixey did bis wonderful character impersona- tions, the chief riveted his eyes upon bim and moved a trifle nervous, Would the actor make the hit he hoped to do? Would the audience see who it was that was being satirized? Every eye in the theater had seen the dis- guised detective in his most conspicuous seat, and his appearance bad been commented upon by many, while the one they guyed seemed serenely unconscious that he was attracting any attention whatever, Billy the Bell-Boy had observed the looks cast upon him, heard subdued laughter and com- ments and had become very uneasy, his face flushing with indignation and mortification. Suddenly, after a vigorous encore, Dixey re- appeared, The effect was electrical, the perfection of his make-up startling, Every eye turnel from the actor to the box, to see if the Scotchman was still there, end that it was not be who was pon the stage, But there he sat his eyes riveted upon the actor as though all unconscious of the clever coupterfeit, as though he could not apply to himself the words of the old Scotch lines. “Oh wad some power the giftie gie us To see ourselves as ithers see us.” Billy the Bell-Boy recognized the counterfeit of his generous patron at a glance and bis face became crimson while a look of reproach fell up- on the clever actor. ; The bouss burst forth ina perfect roar, and when Dixey sung his inimitable song, “It is Englisb, you know,” the walls fairly shook with applause, The chief was convulsed with laughter, as were Others, while as serene as a May morn, ex- cept that he applauded the actor, as though un- conscious of who he was satirizing, he sat to the end, and seemed wholly to enjoy his evening at the theater, CHAPTER XIL. THE BELL-BOY SHADOWED, WHEN Henry Dixey left the theater, he hast- ened away from his many friends, who sought to congratulate bim upon his last great bit in Sapo ReOP eR OD and made bis way rapidly to his otel, He had an engagement with the chief, and while awaiting the latter’s coming hastily wrote upon a card as follows: “ Hevry E. Dixey’s compliments to Mr. Mackent Mackintosh and would be glad to have him join him in his rooms at supper this evening,” This card was sent by a bell-boy to the room of Mr. Mackintosh, and while awaiting a re- sponse the chief arrived. | “ Dixey you are great! _ ,+ never saw a make-up more perfect, your dialect was Scotch itself, and in fact you made a great hit,” “ prank you iat a bit the original did not —_—eeeeeOoOoeeoe- hn nk _=—_ee_—vvV—X—*reeee eee eee ee - ng cS ** So it appeared.” ‘*T fear | may have bit him too bard, for of- ten my impersonations offend, se I bave just sent him a note asking bim to come and have supper with me this evening.” ** And bis answer?” ‘‘T bave not received it; but lam anxious to beg his pardon for the liberty I took, and to tell him that itis one of my weaknesses to sati- rize,’ ! ‘‘ Why did he take the bell-boy with him for a companion?” ‘* He is unacquainted here doubtless, felt lone- ly, and so invited the boy for company, as welk as perbaps to give the lad a pleasant evening.” ‘‘By the way, Dixey, that is a striking-look- ing young fellow, that bell-Boy.” ‘* He is, indeed, chief, and am certain bas been raised in wealth and refinement.” “Can you learn nothing of him!” ‘Nothing, for he is at once silent when I question bim regarding himself, ‘* Come in!” The door opened and the boy who had taken the card to the Scotchman returned to say that he was not in his room and could not be found about the botel, so he had left the note in his box, ‘‘ That was right, for he will see that my inu- tention was good. , ‘* Now, Brickdust, what is Bell-Boy Billy’s real name?” asked the actor of the boy, who, on account of his fiery red bair was known as Brickdust. **T dunno,” ‘*-You have never heard of it?” ** No, sir.” ‘* He’s a clever fellow, isn’t he?” ‘“‘ Waal, sir, he’s clever enough, and his being good to us boys is all as saves him from a lick- in’, for he’s too stuck-up for our kind.” ‘‘ He is not very strong, perbaps, and rough, but I know that he treats you all well,” ‘¢ Yes, sir, he does, for he gives us tickets to ther shows, treats us to sody-water and when we is broke always has a quarter or half to lend ? s,’ ‘© Wher@ does he live?” ‘‘ None of us knows, sir; but somehow folks fees him big for he makes lots o’ money.” ‘‘ Well, here is a fee for you,” and the actor handed a bill to the delighted boy who skipped out to make his good fortune known to his com- rades on the night watcb with him, J ‘¢ There is some mystery about that boy, chief,” said Dixey. . ‘It would seem so, for he certainly is a little gentleman aud as handsome. obi picture,” was the answer. rs The two friends then bad supper together, again talking overthe stolen jewels, and dis- cussed Dick Doom and his work. : The chief spoke of bis visit to the detective that morning, and remarked that he would drop in and see him againin the morning, _ In the meanwhile Dick Doom, in his disguise, had left the theater,with Billy the Bell-Boy, to whom he said: . ‘Tam going to drive down-town, Jad, so get in with me and [ll drop you down at your home,” : ' ‘No, thank you, sir, for I can walk,” quickly answered the lad, ** No, I will drive you home,” : ‘‘ No, sir, I have not far to go, and I will not. trouble you. ‘*'You have thank you. S Gond-night, Mr. Mackintosh,” and Billy quickly disappeared in the crowd, -*He does not wish me to knowwhere he So saying the disguised detective crossed to a cab stand, and springing into a coupe told the. driver to halt ata certain number and drive there with all dispatch. ne whe arse, flat where Bi ived, Seated fo the cab Dick Doom watched from his window and soon after Billy came along, en- tered his door, and five minutes passed before & light was visible, in the windows of the little parlor. . ‘¢T must know more of that strange boy,” mut- tered Dick Doom, ‘In some way he is connected with the theft. of those diamonds, + NE) | ‘* Now I[ will drive to my hotel where I am known as Mr. Richards,” and apparently enjoy- ing the life he was leading of a man of mystery himself, Dick Doom drove to the hotel which he had made his especial headquarters while in the. ‘ ry . - Jes: . ; : ; . - a os aye 2" Se — sf - _ re aioe Pa . x 4 P| s Hi eYeye) been very kind to me, sir, and I ives, te “Well, I'll see if he goes straight home,” » house nearly opposite to” 5 La | Ss A o> 4, ,) (\ ant mm © vee bio ) 4 | | iS 2 e\5 te | am yb | a za * s. ees 7’ ) & ; DS ake “4 ons a fn Pee.