Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 815 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

\ 4 Broadway Billy’s Bank Racket. ‘* Hard to tell,” Billy answered. on track of him before I can hops to do so,” ‘* Yes, trueenough, I only wish we could help you more than we can, but that seems to be out of the question, for we are at loss utterly.” ** Are you in business with your father?” ** No; 1’m in for myself, ave a store of my own.” ‘Mr. Shyrock thought it would be better for him to take a businesswpon his own shoulders,” Mrs. Shyrock explained, ‘‘so he started him, : a ageniees is aiming to work up as his father ‘ . ** Well, I must leave you, now. If you learn nything, please let me know at.my office,” ** We'll do so, certainly,” agreed Horace. “‘ But, hold on, and [ll go with you, forI am go- ing out. I just came in, mother, to tell you a iece of news, Mr. Stiverson’s bank was rob- 1 last night, and Willey has been arrested for the theft.” : Here was astonishment for Broadway Billy. It was only a little time since he had been at the bank, and the arrest must have followed very quickly, “Is it possible!” cried Mrs, Shyrock. ‘ This must be kept from Grace, Horace, It will kill her. Surely, there must be some mistake; I can never believe it of Vance Willey.” “Tl guessit is true enough. Witherton just came from there, and he said the police had just come and made the arrest. Willey is all broke up over it, he says, and no wonder, forI haven’t much doubt of his guilt; they found some of the stolen money on him,” Billy had taken it all in, quietly. ** Acquaintance of yours?” he asked, ** Yes; head clerk in the bank where father has bis account,” “* What leads you to think him guilty, before he bas a fair chance to defend himself? ** Doesn’t it look bad enough against him, when they actually find the money on him, or, at any rate, someof it? I don’tsee how he is go- ing to get out of it.” ‘And whois the Grace you mentioned, Mrs, Shyrock?” ** My daughter, sir.” ** Oh! ell, I will bid you good-morning. Now, Mr, Shyrock, if ycu are going my way.” So Billy took his leave, Horace accompanying him, and finding the young man was on his way to his place of business, and that it was not out of his path, Billy proposed going there with him, While interested in the Shyrocks, it was well enough to learn all he could about them. ‘“*T want to tell you something, Weston,” the young man observed, “‘and that is something I could not say in mother’s hearing, I happen to know that father has not been giving her a square deal all around.” ‘** No?” queried Billy, by negation. ‘* Not by any means, t I don’t know just what he wasupto, I thought I would post you, so that you needn’t give him away to her unless ouhave to. He has pot been ala eig Soy ny road Philadelphia half as much as she thinks he ‘‘ Where then has he been spending his time ary: from home?” “That is what I don’t know, I have been talking with his man Witherton, and he has told me a good deal, though he don’t know any more then I do when it comes to the point.” ‘* Well, can you tell me of any very intimate friend your father had? Some one to whom he sovie likely to unburden himself, if to any- Vv ‘No, I can’t; father wasn’t that kind of a an “ What kind of man?” “One totell his secret business to anybody. He was as close asaelam, and never told any- body anything.” “You don’t wae ig he was engaged in any wore business of which he was ashamed, do you ** On, no, I don’t think that; I wouldn't tell you, a detective, if I did.” “* Hardly to be expected that you would,” CHAPTER IV, HARRY AND SETH ON DECK. ‘In the meantime Happy Harry and Silent Seth had been playing their parts in the beginning of the game, though they were such as did not promise much excitement, Leaving the office they set out for the business lace of Mr, Shyrock, the address of which they ad, of course, “This here looks to me like a case, even if it is a deep one, as the boss thinks,” observed Harry, as they went along. ‘*T must get | oo Silent Shadower, with nothing to say, said nothing. ‘*Didn’t ye hear what I said?’ demanded Harry. sc Yes.” i “Then why didn’t you open your head and say so? 'It’s like talkin’ to a post, to talk to you,” ** You know I’m not deaf,” ‘* That’s all right; but when I talk toa fellow I want him to talk back at me. See? Now, what do you think about this case, anyhow ?™ ‘* What's the uze of thinking about it at all, till we get hold of something to set our think- ers at work? There, now, I’ve satisfied you by talking; please satisfy me by keeping still.” ‘Whew! what a speech fer you, Seth! But, you must think ’m mighty easy satisfied, if that will satisfy me, And as fer my keeping still—you might as well ask the wind to stop blowing. Couldn’t do it, nohow. Have to keep my jaw wagging, since I have to talk for both of us,” So Harry rattled away at his usual rate, and kept it up till they reached their destination, without having said much of anything, in Seth’s estimation, Mr, Shyrock’s store wasa concern of some magnitude, as the boys found, and a clerk step- ped uy to them when they entered, e want to see Mr. Shyrock,” said Harry, ‘** He is not here, sir,” was the polite informa- tion, ** Do you know when he will be?” ‘* Impossible to say; be is out of town.” ‘*That seems to settle it then,” said Harry, turning to Seth. ‘‘ What shall we do about it?” ‘* We shall have to come in again, I suppose,” was Seth’s decision, ‘* May I ask what your business is with Mr, Sbhyrock?” inquired the clerk. ‘¢ We cannot tell you, as it is wholly private,” answered Harry. ** But, you may tell it to our chief clerk, or rather manager,” the clerk suggested. ‘*‘ He has gone to the bank, and will be back again pres- ently. Mr. Sbyrock trusts all matters to him,” “We might wait, then,” said Seth. ‘* Very well; take seats and be comfortable.” The clerk wasa good sortof fellow, as the boys Raneeds and they accepted his invitation readily. They hardly saw what wasto be gained by their waiting, but it did give them a good chance to look around the place and take note of the different employees whom they saw, While they were thus idly employed doing nothing, a man came into the store—one who was evidently no stranger there. He was about forty yearsof age, rather stylish in dress and mauner, and one who bore the stamp of good society upon him in open sight, ‘* Morning!” he greeted the clerk. ** Good-morning, Mr. Robiston,” the clerk re- sponded. ‘*Is Mr, Witherton in?” ** No; he has gone to the bank, sir, He ought to be back pretty soon,” ““T'll wait. I dropped in to see him about that draft of mine he was to cash for me this morning. I suppose he’s gone to the bank to get the money.” ** Very likely he has, sir; I think I heard him mention your name to one of the boys as he went out. Hey, Harbard, what did Mr, Witherton say to you as he was going out?” e man addressed was just coming forward from the rear of the store, ‘* Why, he told me to ask Mr, Robiston to wait, if he came in before he got back again.” ‘That is all I want to know, then,” the man Robiston remarked. ‘‘I will wait for him, since I have nothing ov band at present.” So he took a chair at a little distance from the two boys, favoring them with a passing glance as he did so, Taking a paper from his pocket he began to glance at the items of news, He had not been thus engaged for many minutes when another personage entered the re. This time it was a younger man, one ha about twenty-four years of age, and who had the air of being quite at home there, He glan around, and seeing Robiston, ad- vanced to him at once, ‘* Good morning!” extending his hand. “‘ Hello, Horace; good-morning!” he was greet- T shook bands, and the new-comer also took a seat. ‘* Well, what is the good word?” the elder of the a inquired, everything is lovely,” was the response, “How is it with yout” mS ‘‘The same, I havedropred in to see Withe ton, but he has gone to the bank, solam wait- ing for him.” . ‘ “* And I have come to see if anything has been heard of father yet.” ‘* He is still missing, eh?” ¢ Yea,” ** Strange case,” ‘* You are right it isa strange case. Mother a decided to puta detective on the matter at ast. ‘‘That so? Whom will she employ?’ **1 don’t know yet. She had Witherton at the house last night, talking the matter over with him, and he was to see to it for her this morn- ing. ** Why didn’t she let you do that?” ** Because I did not bappen to be there when she came to her deci-ion, I suppose, I am not as regular as a clock, like Witherton, and she knows that, you see. I do not grieve,” Harry and Seth were taking this all in, They were getting some meat, after all, where they had expected little or notbing. Presently the man Robiston turned and favor- ed them with a stare for a moment, but found them attending strictly to their own business, not even looking in the direction of bimself and his companion, ** How did it work?” they heard bim ask, ther, in a lower tone, ‘* Fine,” was thereply, in the same guarded manner, ** Tf that is go, it is all right,” ‘You bet.” ‘* For, the rest of itis as perfect as can be. Couldn’t be better. If it all goes well, your suc- cess is assured,” **it will be up-hill work, I expect,” “Faint heart never won fair lady, you know.” ‘“That’s what they tell me, how it goes,” After that their conversation became louder, and they talked in a general way about various things of little interest. They bad quite a while to wait before Wither- ton put in his 3 < geemgal and when he came, it could be told by any one at a glance that he was excited in mind, Toe two = knew him, of course, having seep him at the office, and he recoguized them He would have spoken to them first, but Harry gave him a quick signal, which he seemed to take in and understand readily, and at the same time the younger of the two men cried: ‘““ Why, what’s the matter with you, Witber- Well, we'll see ton?” ‘‘T’m a little excited, that’s all,” was the re- ply. ‘*‘Good-morning, Mr. Robiston, Iam just from the bank.” “They told me you had gone there, so I waited,” said Robiston. ‘* Bat, I didn’t get the money,” ‘* No?” surprised, ‘* No; for the reason that the bank has been robbed.” ‘“* What! Stiverson’s bank robbed?” So both the v-en exclaimed at once, “Yes; and Willey has been arrested as the robber,’ ‘* Worse and worse!” exclaimed Robiston, ‘* He can’t be guilty, surely; there is some mis- take,” ‘*T don’t know; the case against him looks dark, though he stoutly maintains he is inno- cent.” ‘* Tell us all about it,” Happy Harry and Silent Seth pricked up their ears afresh, since a robbery case came rigbt in their line, little thinking that their chief had hold of it eae ‘* Well, there is not a great deal to tell,” said Witherton, ‘‘ but of course it is full of interest, It appears the bank was entered last night, and the safe opened by some one having the com- bination and about twelve thousand dollars taken, It was discovered by the youngest clerk, who was the first at the office. He found the door of the office locked, A wire key, however, was found down in the pit under the windows. No one but Willey and Stiverson himself bad the combination, and as Stiversonis at home sick in bed it certainly was not he. Somehow suspicion turned upon Willey, when the police came, and they found some of the money on him, He denies his guilt, but it looks bad, you see,” ‘* And so you couldn’t get my cash, eb?” said Robiston. ‘* No, for the reason that there was none on hand, It will be all right, however, after a little delay.” “Of course. I’m sorry for Willey, but,