Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 813 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

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REVEALED, TuHE chief called the next morning upon Dick Doom, asking for him at the hotel office as ‘* Mr, Richards,” and found him busy writing letters, ‘* Well, Dick, how are you this morning?” * All right, chief, and you?” ‘* Never better, for | had a laugh last night at Dixey’s performance that drove away all the worry from my mind, ‘‘T have seen Adonis a dozen times and hope to see it as many more, for the theater is a great place for the students of human nature to go: to school, — “ But last night there wasascene not down on the bills.” ‘* What was it, sir?” **T asked you to go, you know?” ** Yes, sir, and | was sorry that a previous en- gagement revented my accompanying you,” * Well, 1 spoke to you of a Scotchman, a good enough fellow doubtless, but a perfect guy, for odd people never seem to know that the world is laughing at them,” ’ ‘He was a guy then?” ‘‘ A perfect guy, and he attracted the atten- tion of the audience the moment he entered his ) box, while, who do you think was with him?” “Who, chief?” ‘* Billy the bell-boy at the hotel where Dixey stops.” ‘* His invited guest?” * Yes, and a bright, handsome lad he is too, and company for any one, ‘* He seemed mortified at what occurred, for the sake of his companion, wbo really did not seem to see his take-off in Dixey’s impersona- tion, : ** Was it a bit?” “The best I ever saw, the dialect, clothes, manner and all being perfect, ‘*Dixey feared he might have hit him too hard so wrote and asked him to supper with him, but he could not be found, though he rcoms near the actor.” ‘* Perbaps he drove bim to suicide,” ‘* Not he, for be did not know that he was being counterfeited. ‘** But now what news?” ** Well, chief, I have two detectives in the hotel where Mr. Dixey stops.” ‘** But why two?” “One cannot be always cn duty you know, and one dos not suspect that he is watched,” ‘Two of my men, I suppose? * “*T wish you had spoken to me, for I could have suggested the best to us2.” ‘* No, sir, they are my own men,” ** Then you bave men here, Dick?” ** One of these men is myself, chief.” ** Ab! you have a room there, also?” ‘* Yes, sir,” ** And the other?” ‘ * Ts Billy the Bell-Boy.” “A boy?” “Oh, ” Can you trust him’? — ‘**T am absolutely certain that I can.” ‘* But you cannot be much there,” ‘More than you think, chief. ‘¢ But will you keep a secret?” “ Certainly.” “Mr, Dixey is not to know, even.” **T will not speak of it to a soul,” ‘‘T have avother detective at the same hotel,” “What, a third?” ‘* A man in whom I have as much confidence as myself.” : ‘‘ Indeed; then be must be a good one,” ‘Tt is Mr, Mackent Mackintosh.” * What?” **T mean it,” ‘* That Scotchman?” | “The man Dixey guyed so unmercifully last night?” , ‘The same,” **Why, he does not appear to have any more gense life,” ’ _ “ He has as much as I have.” ** That is high praise for bim, surely.” ** Well, what have you against him, chief?” **Not a thing, other than his outre appear- ance,” | ‘* Appearances are deceitful,” » 88 you bave especially demon- strated to me in your many disguises.’ , ‘be Scotchman is another, chief.” *T grant it, if what you say of him is so.” id 8 aa nor ene. chief?” “Ob, yes, I know you, yet you are ever a “maystery to me, I will admit,” ¥ “ ~ of 5 % ‘zx - Se - > : , TU than will get bim comfortably through Dick Doom’s Diamono ** Well, in the Scotchman you see your hum- ble servant in disguise,” The chief looked amazed, but said: ** Come, come, Dick, this is pushing my belief in Mose] wers too far,” ick Doom arose, and going to one of his trunks, unlocked it, ‘* Ig this like the suit he wore—the wig, glasses and whiskers, and—” ** Say no more, for you are the Scotchman, I see, ‘* Bat this would break poor Dixey’s heart.” **Ob, no, for what I appeared, he copied, and he did it well,” ‘** But your motive, Dick?” ‘Well, Pll answer you in your own words awhile since, that the theater is a good place for the student of human nature to prosecute his studies,” ‘* There were those there whom you suspected?” ‘* Well, there were those there whom | wished to have my eyes upon, and I took the bell-boy along to watch him under the influence of the play and sce if he bad aunytbing on his mind that wanes him, for that was the place tu study iro, ‘*T watched Dixey and his people, and formed my own opinions from all that 1 saw,” ‘* The bell-boy does not know you as—” ‘** As the Scotchman only, but I wished you to know me, chief, for [ will need your aid in the work before me,” was the earnest reply, and the chief of police took bis leave more ‘than ever impressed with the Ferret of the Golden Fetters, CHAPTER XIlV. BILLY AND THE FERRET. THE papers gave Henry Dixey a very fine criticism upon his impromptu work in charac- terizing the supposed Scotcbman who bad but twice occupied a box in bis theater, and this made the actor more anxious to see bim, for be bad not wished to offend bim, He tried in vain to find him i bs the day, and his mail, the clerk told him, remained in bis box uncalled for. Dixey was therefore anxious as to whether the Scotchman would turn up at night in the box he had twice before occupied, He therefore cast a quick glance at the box when be made bis entrance, The Scotchman was there, | “He ig not offended at least,” mused the actor, and yet be at once made up his mind that he would not again impersonate his seemingly great admirer, As soon as the curtain went down he sent an usher, with his card, asking the Scotchman to come buck upon the stage to his dressing-room, . The invitation was promptly accepted and in his broad dialect the supposed Scot thanked the actor for his invitation of the night before, and added that he bad been absent from the hotel all day, or shoul! have replied to it. ** Now, my friend,” pe continued: ‘I see by the papers that you impersonated me last night, and all recognized me, | **It was good, very good, for I recognized my counterfeit at once, and I hope you will repeat it to-night, as | may not have another oppor- tunity to see you,” ‘*] will do so upon one condition, Mr. Mackin- tosh, for when I thought over my characteriza- tion of you, I felt that I had done wrong.” ‘¢ Not in the least, my dear fellow, ‘* But the coudition?” ‘* That you have supper with me after the per- formance,” ' ‘* It isa bargain,” was the answer, and the de- tective returned to his box, and once more Dixey convulsed the audience with his ‘‘ take off” of | the supposed Scot, the latter appearing again unconsious that he was the victim of the actor, Shortly before midnight the detective knocked at Dixey’s door in the hotel and received a cor- dial welcome, the two chatting together like old friends, But an hour after the actor was compelled to admit that he knew nothing whatever about the Scot, and there seemed to be an air of mystery about him which he could not understand, Leaving the actor’s room the detective went to his hotel and bad just changed bis toilet when a knock came at bis door. It was a bell-boy, and he was accompanied by none other than Billy. | . anak Doom greeted the bell-boy pleasantly and said: ‘* So you got my note, Billy?” ** Yes, sir, and when I came off duty at twelve o'clock, I went home, changed my clothes and came to see you here,” Do you recognize me now as the lady in Jeat. black, or the Quakeress, you showed up to Mr. Dixey’s parlor?’ “You are the same, sir, though I would not recognize you,” ** Well, Billy, what have you discovered?” ** Not much, sir, excepting this is a list of the visitors Mr. Dixey has bad,” and he handed the detective a slip of paper, upon which a number of names were written. Dick Doom glanced over them and said: ‘*So a Scotchman took supper with him to- night?” ‘Yes, sir.” ** What do you think of the Scotchman?” ‘** Well, sir, he is a queer man, stopping in the hotel, but a good one | think, ‘** He fees me liberally and took me to the the- ater with him,” **'You have kept your eyes upon the chamber- maids in the hotel?” ‘** Yes, sir, but they are not guilty.” ** You think?” ‘**] fael sure of it, sir.” ** And the bell-boys?” ‘** Are innocent, sir.” “You feel confident of this, Billy?” ‘*T am certain of it, sir.” ‘* And the porters?” tbe porters and firemen are not guilty, sir, ‘* How about the guests?” ‘That is what must be found out, sir,” ** You have a suspicion of some one?” ‘*T would not accuse aay one, sir, until proof of guilt was assured,” * Well, Billy, you mast stay on duty all you can and keep up your detective work for me,” **] will, sir.” | ‘‘T heard at the hotel office that you did one third more time than the other boys?” ‘Yes, sir, 1 wish to make all 1 can,” was the hesitating reply. ** You bave those depending upon you for sup- port, I suppose?” After a slight hesitation the boy said: ‘*T have those I love, sir, to think of,” ** 'W here do you liye?” ‘*T have a room, sir, to myself,” ‘*"You bad better give me the address, in case I need you?” ‘“Well, Mr, Richards, I spend most of my time at the hotel, so you would hardly) find me at my room, sir.” ** Well, here is some money for you, and re- member to keep a close watch at the hotel for any one of a suspicious nature, and send me word here at once,” . ‘*} will, and I thank you, sir.” ; ‘‘When do you go on duty for all night agein?” “To-morrow night, sir, for I am free until then, unless I wish to make six-hours’ time to- morrow,” ** Don’t overwork yourself, Billy. Now, good-night,” and! when the lad left the botel he was shadowed by the detective, CHAPTER XV. DICK DOOM MAKES A DISCOVERY, THE tollowing bight the disguised detective did not occupy bis box at the theaver, greatly to the disappointment of many who had gone pur- posely to see Dixey’s impersonation of him, F.ir reasons of his own the actor did not in- troduce his take-off of the Scot, and he would not respond to the encores which it was hoped would induce him to do so, Billy the Bell-Boy went on duty at eight ~"clock at the hotel, and recognized the detective, whom he knew as * Mr, Richards,” as he passed through © the corridor, ined Dick Doom however did not appear to see Billy and soon passed on out of the botel.® lt was a cold, stormy night, and Dick Doom > got intoacab and drove down to Police Head-— quarters. | The chief had gone home, so be drove toa number not far from where Pilly lived, and alighting from the cab, bade thé driver await his coming, \ He went at once to the boy’s number, opened | the door as before, ascended to the top floor, — and balted, ; He had seen no one, and though the gas burned in the lower halls, there was no light in the up-— . = magic key let him into the little parlor as" There was fresh coal upon the fire, but the © aon wee not burning, as the boy would be out all” nicht, ; eu All was in perfect order, and neatness rested | upon all in the little home, ’ ee Taking from his pocket a bunch of keys, after” emer a 4 > €om ‘eb OOKS i G(@ } By. 0p ate a