Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 814 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

th... out on the bottom you'll drown likearatina tub! “Here you go, Ace High!” and the fatal chair dropped from sight. ‘* At last the cursed’ bloodhound is trapped!” cried Cotty, as he Jed the way out of the Crib. Without a second thought of the trapped detective they hurried in the direction of the back entrance of the Golconda, CHAPTER VI. ; THE MESSENGER ARRIVES, In the mean time ** Bonanza” Bob Banderson, g0 called from the fact.of his sudden, not to say mysterious acquirements of untold wealth some ten years before our present introduction to the banker, was not idle, : Hardly hod his spendthrift son reached the street than Banker Banderson arose from his seat, approached a small safe let into the wall of his office, and opening it, drew forth several wigs, false beards and mustaches, electing one of each, he adjusted them to his head and face; then exchanging his coat for one of loud plaid that he brought from an adjoining closet, he left the office by a rear exit, ‘* Tell you what, old boy, you are losing your grip mighty fast!” he muttered thoughtfully, as be bent his steps in the direction of Market street. ' ‘In the first place the Goddess Chance has ceased to smile upon you at plunging; or even light betting; consequently you have lost a cool half-million, in the last two years! ‘Then there is the lieutenant: can it be that he has played me false—been bought off? or, more likely, become enamored of his beautiful captive, and ‘skipped the gutter?’ ‘‘ Neither, hardly! He knows the power I possess as chief of the Hounds, too well to be false! : ‘*The Hounds! Ha! Ha! Ha! ; ‘** Little the good people of Frisco know that that terrible order is yet in existence! ‘“‘Theyjcongratulate themselves that their much bragged of ‘* Vigilance” wiped out the Hounds long ago, but they never connected Bonanza Bob Banderson with the yellow-bearded Captain Nugget, so—well, they will hear the Hounds *bay’ shortly! * But something must be done—and that at once, to bridge this financial gulf before me! ‘*The forlorn hope of fingering this Bonanza Widow’s ducats has fallen through—smashed— fizzled! And even if Barry succeeds in winning the beiress, Miss Tilloson, as he seems to bein a fair way of doing, it will be too late to avert the crash! ** Why can’t [ think of some scheme, éven if I dad to set the Hounds to work— ‘* By the beard of the Proptet! I have it! “‘t can yet handle the widow’s half-million—” By this time the yellow-bearded captain had reached Market street, and was just turning to- ward California thoroughfare when a hand fell heavily upon bis shoulder, and he turned sharply to find bimself face to face with as villainous a specimen of the San Francisco “ hoodlum” ag could be found in the city, Ho was a man Of past forty, ragged, dirty and tuncombed, but his blonted, flabby face was as neatly and carefully shaven as the most stylish ** blood ” in the city. He was well known to the authorities as a desperate character—an escaped convict from the penal colonies of Australia, but never since his arrival in the Golden State had sufficient in- formation been lodged against him to place him behind prison bars. ** Well, Melbourne, what will you bave?” demanded the disguised banker, as he wheeled upon the squat formed ex-convict, ‘Alf an’ ’alf, may hit please yer ’ighness!” he at the prompt reply, accompanied by an evil smile, ** Shut up, Melbourne! joking. ‘** Tell me your business at once!” * Well, professionally Hi ham a hex-burglar, but sarcumstances ’ave reduced me to the life hof a ’Ound, sir!” ‘““Tf you have any business with me, you smooth-faced villain, state it at once! If not, then I shall give you the worst mauling you ever had!” and the captain laid his powerful grasp upon the ragged shoulder of the ex-con- vict. ‘Hall right, ‘sir! hoffense sir! ‘‘But the fact is, ther’s ha messenger from. the mountains waitin’ to see you hat the “ Kennel,’ yer ’ighness!” ‘* Curse you for a fool! why didn’t you say so at once? . I amin no mood for Hell right! Hi meant no . i LD . 4 ‘ Si A vf A ome oy * ‘ , A } Pe 4 @ ‘i Wns} by ar “search? : ) 3a?) ey ‘ ry Y ee, AS 5 4a ye aR a . a ty ale ea * = Vee . vm ?, Uae 4 Pere ee “ie > o> «Ace High, the Frisco Detective. 5 ‘** But come along with me—I may need you before morning!” and the tall captain turned, and hurried in the direction of the Chinese quarter, followed with some difficult on account of his short legs, by the ex-convict. W hen master and man—for such they evidently were—reached the center of that colony of vice, crime and mystery called Chinatown, the sun had sunk from view behind the Golden Gate, But night is Chinatown’s “ busiest part of the day,” and now all was life and gayety. Barely nodding to the dozens of ** pigtails” and hoodlums who addressed bim, the captain passed protected by gayly printed awnings. Passing within one of these entrances, the two mounted a narrow stairway toa hallway upon the second floor, where they were brought to a halt by a yellow-skinned Major Domo, dressed in flowing robes, and armed with a sbort staff. As he approached the guard, the captain drew from his bosom a slender gold chain, with a charm composed of a hound, cut from a blood-red stone. ‘* You are to meet here a messenger?” asked the Celestial in good English, as he bowed low at sight of the red charm, ‘* Yes, Hon-le, and be quick about it!” impa- tiently returned the captain. ‘*'You will find him in the dragon room,” and Hon-le banded the visitor a curiously formed key, The two then passed on, past many doors bear- ing upon their panels strange devices represent- ing fish, birds, and beasts. Almost the last door upon the left of the hall was the one upon which was painted a yellow dragon, Fitting the key to the lock, the captain and Melbourne entered the small room beyond, The room was rudely furnished with three chairs, a table, and a rough bunk bed, Upon this last reclined a man—pale, haggard and groaning as if in great pain, Approaching, the captain shook him roughly, as he cried: ‘*What is the matter with you, Heinrich? + What has happened?” ‘‘Ach! cabdins, you vill gill me mit dot shagin, and here I vos deadt already!” **Come now, no more of that! **’You bain’t balf dead yet, but Pll finish you mighty quick if you don’t stop that blubbering and tell me who sent you here!” ** Yaw, I vill tell dot putty kvick now right off already, ‘* I vas been a brisoner, und loaded mit shains, and handcuffs for more as two veeks, ‘*What are you giving us, Heinrich? Who made you a prisoner?” ‘**] vos nod ogsquinted mit dot fellers; but he schust shumped oudt from behindt a beeg rock, und pointed a bistol straight at me, und he said ***voust you gid down from dot hoss, Deitcher, or I vill plug you mit a hole through!’” and ven I gid downdt dot fellers schust tied me up und gagged me so tight as nefer vos!” ** Where did this happen?” ‘*Aboudt dwelf mile dis side ouf Bilgrim Gamp.” ‘* And why were you there?” ‘* Der lieutendant sent me.” ‘* What did he send you for?” ‘* He vos dole me to dell you dot der fraulein vas get away from us,” ‘*'Then you captured her?” ** Yaw, und she cabdured us!” ** Well, go on, fool, and give me the particu- lars!” “Yaw, I vos gomin’ do dot right avay kvick! **'V’en dot stage coom along ve sdoped him putty kvick, Den dose bassingers git oudt, und dere vos dot gal mit a fail on, already, ** Den der lieutendant says ‘ Dot gal vas god to coom along mit me!’ ‘* Budt dot sdage-drivers he says, ‘Nix coom arouse! Dot gal vas coom mit me, or you vas valk me mit my deadt body over!’ ‘‘ Budt von ouf der poys shoot heem schust so kvick lige nothings, und bodth ouf dem falls scbust so deadt Iiga a gorpse!” ‘* What, both? But who fired the second shot? Not the driver?” om aoe ‘* N-x, it vos a fellow dot vos hossback, und he sailt dot gal vos go mit him!” ** And then?” ‘* They vos blay some boker do see vich vould haf dot gal, und dot hossback he beadt der lieutendant, und he droaf off mit dot gal und der sdage, und she vos gofered der lieutendant all der dimes mit do bistols, hurriedly along the narrow street until he arrived opposite a huge frame building with many entrances leading from the dirty street, ‘*Uni ven ve took afder dem, dot gal schust shot down nine ouf der poys schust so sligk like eferydings!” ‘‘ But who was the chap that rescued her?” ‘‘ Td vos Ace High, der Cambler Detecdives!” ‘*Fiends of Hades! That man! ** An you let him escape?” ‘Yaw, be vos gid’ avay!” ‘* And it was undoubtedly Ace High in dis- guise that made you a prisoner,” ** Yaw, I dinks me so,” ‘* But how did you make your escape?” ‘*T vos gept in a cellar by a hunter in Cold Ganyon, und [ dug oudt iu der night!” The captain began pacing the narrow room, evidently in an excited state of mind. CHAPTER VII. SUSPICIOUS INCIDENTS—AND A LETTER, MELBOURNE and Hetorien gazed a little appre- hensively at the captain’s moody face, Indeed, the Dutchman even forgot to groan, in his fear that Nugget was but thinking up some punishment equivalent to his crime of ai- lowing himself to be captured in the manner stated, But Captain Nugget’s brain was filled by far different thoughts, ‘* Who is this hunter who kept you prisoner in Gold Canyon?” he suddenly asked, ‘* Dot hunter vos a sdranger to me,” ‘* Did be question you closely?” “Yaw; he vos ask me so many questions, dot I dells him to go mit dunder und blitzen to!” ‘Then he didn’t learn your name or business?” ‘* Nix; he vos nodt pump Heinrich Frekel- heim,” , A satisfied expression overspread Nugget’s countenance, that gave place to one of anxiety at the answer he received to bis next question, ‘‘ What did you use to dig out of the cellar?” ‘* T vos use a sphade,” ‘* A spade?” ** Yaw; I vos find von bran’ new sphade in dot cellars, und I vos dug me mineselluf mit id out! Nugget grew pale, as a terrible suspicion en~ tered his mind. ‘*Could the hunter have seen the spade when he placed you in the cellar?” ‘Yaw; dot vos von goot drick on dot hunt- ers! ‘** Dot sphade vos righd in blain sight!” ‘* And how did you leave tho vicinity of the eabin?” ** Yaw; dot vos some bettar sdill, already! ‘tT vos find von hoss hitched schust outside der voods in, und I scbust rode right avay kvick, und coom bere!” ‘Curse you for a stupid fool, Heinrich! It was all a trick, and you took the bait like the dunderhead you are!’ | ‘* Wot vos dot? V’ot drick?” ‘Why, the spade being left in the cellar for you to dig out with, and the horse outside for you to rida away on! “Tl bet a thousand ounces that you were shadowed to this very building!” ‘‘Nein! You vos wrong, cabdins. I vos change mine disguises more as tventy dimes be- tween dot ganyon und ’Frisco! und I vos not sbeak to von man!” ‘* But, fool, they would know the horse!” “(Gottim Himmel! 1 vos nodt dinks me ouf dot drick! “T vill go right oudt und lead dem righd avay-—” ‘* You stay where you are! ‘*] want you for other business, ‘* Melbourne,” turning to that wondering in- dividual, ‘‘do you know where the rich widow Cardigan lives?” ‘* Hi do, yer ’ighness. Hi reckoned maybe we could raise ha breeze there some fine night, so spotted ther ’ouse!” You did well, Melbourne! : ‘* That crib must be cracked to-night!” ‘* Hall right, yer ’ighness; Hi’m yer hoyster!” *‘ Every thing is prepared, and you will take Heinrich here, and one other, and make a clean sweep of it! ‘Here is a plan of the house that I got only vesterday,” spreading a sheet of paper before the ex-convict, ‘*Here, you see, is, the lady’s boudoir; and this cross represents a solid mahogany escritoire built into the wall of the room, and I am well satisfied it contains rhino to the amount of many thousands of dollars! ‘Tt is a ticklish job, and the utmost caution must be used, ** But [ know you will wrk the racket if any one can, -* a « = - Re I nw . ~~ ‘ Then . 4 ~~~ _* >. =