Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 819 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XII, | DISMAL. QUARTERS, ie" | Asa man of elderly years apparently Dick \ Doom could not run, and it would never do, to have hiny seen dashing out of the flat and in hot | pursuit of a stylish team. ! The chief was too well known to give chase, fs and so the two were forced to see the drag ” with its fine team, its handsome driver and his fair companion, go by and on outof sight, ; a ‘S We are foiled this time, Dick.” ‘Ye, et, Vt . “Tlf Thad been playing my natural part to- 4. ri day I could have kept that turnout in sight until f reached a cab somewhere. \** Do you know the man, sir?” (. ‘¢ Never saw him to my knowledge before.” ** Nor the lady?” ** She is equally unknown to me,” % “You observed that, while he did not appear an to observe this house she kept her eyes fixed up- . } on it from top to basement?” | ‘Yes, but was it not an accident?” ‘n v “f Oh, no,” . ; ‘| ‘* You believe the girl with the yellow hair is | your Mascot?” | f ‘Of that 1 am firmly convinced, chief,” 4 ‘¢ On account of the team of horses?” =| ‘Yes, sir.” | } ‘** Might it not be only a coincidence?” 4 Ys ‘* It might be, chief, yet it is not.” ‘“What makes you think so?” “Well, sir, you saw that it was a drag?” ’ ' és Yes,” ; > ‘¢ Drawn by twodun horses with silver manes is and tails?” ss Vos,” » BON ‘“The driver was a handsome fellow, with mustache as the boy described him,” | | ‘+ True,” . “The lady was young, richly dressed, band- ! some and had yellow hair,” . ‘* That is so,” | } apes she eyed this house from top to bot- H) m, ee ‘* True again, Dick.” ‘ ** All of these could not be coincidences, sir.” 1g ‘*T half agree with you,” a ee **'No, my Mascot is still shadowing me, and rst she shadows well, for sheis posted as to my -! coming here.” . . | ' ** And she has spies,” \ ‘ - as Yes, gir,” ‘ “Who have reported that you have come o. vg here?” 1 : Pa) Loy % Yes, and she wishes to take a look at the oh ouse, ath Li] ** What will you do now?” | om |. “Move at once, sir, and then shadow this | we house for any sbadowers,” ei ‘* You will leave here, then?” “I will not report my going to the janitor, simply go to another place, for [ can carry out with me what disguises I need,” fe you wish me to leave this house shad- Ow fs ‘« Yes, sir, with two of your best men.” mA ** And when will you go?” ak _ * Since I come to think of it, chief, suppose He ke FOU put me in charge of Miser Mainhall’s prop- x erty until the heirs turn up?” _ You would go, there?” asked the chief, with ie surprise. ih ¢ ‘“Why not, for it is a fairly good place, and ~~ —-- you will know where to find me when wanted.” ry: ~ “It may be a good idea, though I dread to have you go there alone, Dick.” | 5, Risk nothing, gain nothing, sir,” ae “Well, do as you deem best, vy 48 _“T will have the Park watched for the drag _ and the dog-cart, and this house shadowed, and, «you being in the miser’s old rookery, surely we __- should make some discovery.” TY redy “Ove would think so, 3ir,” answered Dick - p Doom, and soon after the chief took his leave, — +. Then the young detective, in his disguise of _. Doetor Dickson, sauntered forth and stopped in Ep : ata larg aaah | } F% Why. _Here be. bought some groceries, a lamp, oil, ow Candi sand a few other things. : . -"Phese were placed in a wagon, with a quarter » of a tonsof coal and some wood, a couple of blank ots and a mattress, and sent out to the * ‘s a. 1 A me | ae % : ‘ % + 4 -~ i : + ( ‘ f*, } %% + aw ~\ ; 4 oe ee ora ree Sr ee Sede ee : . . mise yO se, “Do not get there before night, for there will be no one there to receive the things until then, “Stop at the gate, and the man will meet you re,” was Dick Doom’s order to the driver of 16 cheap [xpress wagon which he had purposely red to take his purchases, | - Having done this much toward establishing 77 \ ° « sa . ; i himself in the old house, Dick Doom returned to wi, 4 his : rooms, packed’ a couple of sachels, and dis- » ; ve NESS aT 88 ae pe ee nol rep) A> ‘ , - ~ ‘. ° ? ef 7 fe v ; et Ae : ’ bey " é.\ / cng! 4 a le > gt b> . 4 . : ‘ t5% AI Paes 4 * oy a ties ¢ - ie SCM oy . oly Ly : . al ri) ‘ os e4 Y ¥ oe | which the murderers failed to get the other |had been found in the livivg-rooms of Miser | ae et a ee ee eee ew : Dick Doom’s Girl Mascot. i>» hi-ho cr ee e+ them, library above, Leaving the bouse unseen by the janitor, Dick Doom met the messenger at the spot agreed upon and took the sachels from him. A walk of half a mile brought him to the miser’s home, The gate was locked, but Dick Doom had the keys and was soon in the house, The closed ‘blinds kept the light from being seen when he lit it, and he soon bad a fire burn- ing and then went out to wait for the Express wagon, The man arrived as he did at the gate, and simply put the purchases inside for him, after which he drove away. Then Dick Doom carried them into the house and in an hour’s time had set thinjs to rights and made himself as comfortable as could be ex- pected. He then went outside to see if a glimmer of light could be seen, and was glud to discover tbat it could not, From the miser’s sitting-room a door opened which led into a ballway, and thence up-stairs and through the old mansion, . Armed with a dark lantern Dick Doom made the rounds of the house thoroughly, and feeling that he understood its rooms, halls and stairway, he returned to his room and sat down to read before the glowing fire which he had built, One, two, three hours passed, and just as a distant clock was tolling the hour of midnight there was heard a sound of a footfall on the floor above his head and instantly Dick Doom was on the alert, CHAPTER XIII, ‘“YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE!” Tux sound of footsteps in the room over his ig did not appear to startle Dick Doom in the east. He had been apparently expecting just such a thing to happen. Laying down his book he a dark lantern. Then he buttoned his coat close about him, bas on his hat and buckled a belt around his waist. | | . ui his belt were two revolvers easy to get hold of, 43 Pe Opening the door softly he stepped out into the hall but all was darkness there, for his lantern slide was closec, Having studied the formaticn of the house he knew just which way to move énd soon came to the stair-door leading to the floor above, He opened it noiselessly and ascended to the first floor above, : This was the main floor of the bouse, and upon it were the parlors, dining-room, library and several smaller rooms, ell long vacant, un- furnished, Gamp ard dismal, ‘It was in the library, however,*that be bad heard the sound of fcotsteps over his head, and advancing to the large front door Dick Doom found it closed, He went to the rear of the hall, where there was a Jarge diving-room, and found the door open, while there was a window raised, a large tree growing against the house there, the limbs reaching out so that one could step from them into the room through the window, ‘*'Yes, as I susrected, in looking over the bouse with the chief, this is the way they en- tered, and there is certainly a secret safe in the library where the old miser kept bis gold, and. and the robbers knew had met bis death, treasure, But seeing no one on { patched them by a messenger who called for i gold, man at least outside, bowever, and he stood which ke could close a bis revolver. Thus be waited fora They came may door, and when within arose aud lighted o rade: 4“ Fly, booty! _Jantern an out. By window called out: ** Come, men, for it’s Dick Doom!” sion, the warning cry, house!” As he ‘spoke to himself the detective leaned sn of the window, when a voice below called | out: ‘* Did you find it, Dick?” * Yes, it’s all right, ‘Keep quiet and stay where you are,” re- sponded Dick Doom with promptness and nerve, — while to himself he mused: wad _ “* There is one below, that is certain, and I heard two different footfalls over my head, ‘‘T may have to deal with more than I count- ed on; but I am in for it now, so will face what comes,” He then quietly awaited for whatever was to turn up. He had come to the conclusion that there was a secret repository in the library, and that the murderers of the miser, having failed to get: his gold the night of the tragedy, had returned to do so now, | ey What he had seen in going over the house with the chief he had kept to himself, but he had made up bis mind that, though the hody the room droppe But, the door, ‘“* Halt, or I fire? bullet strikin in his banc “Well Vi ue, Violet! wi Palit . : 4 4 y I vas ane bare 4 ‘ an - . , A . fo aha Say ve ibe F ss tas . ~ bia i » ile ; id % a . . rel . Ve ~~ ™ Mainhall, be bad not been killed there, butin the His reason for thinking so was that he had seen red stains upon the library floor, and the lower stairs, and there wasan indication that they had been washed out, or that an attempt had been made to rub out the stains, The opinion of Dick Doom had been, from bis examination of the library, that there was a se- cret safe in one of the many panels found there, for if when Miser Mainhball hearing the noise overhead had run up to protect his gold and thus Watching the night before and seeing the men sent there by the chief, for bis protection, the robbers had not made an attempt to find the cided to enter the old rookery and find the miser’s How many he had to deal with Dick Doom did not know, but he suspected there were only two in the library and be knew that there was one The advantage of a surprise was upon bis side were too meny for bim, and he would be in the darkness, while they would doubtless bave a ligbt with them to find their way, | So be took up his position, bis dark lantern held in his left band ready to flash upon the rob- bers when needed, and his right hand grasping ly there. was the glare of a dim light outin the hali and two men came out of the library. One carried a lantern, the other hada heavy weight upon his shoulders, ly rung out, sterp, threatening and startling: ** Hold! ‘* Your money or your life!” , CHAPTER XlV, IN THE VERY NICK OF TIME, | 4 THE startling demand of Dick Doom, therein that dreary old mansion, in the dead bour of | night, brought a cry of alarm from the lips of the two men who were thus brovgbt to bay, followed by ashot from cne of them, be who’ held the lantern, with the words to bis ec m- Dick, out of the front door with your ‘‘)1] make a stand until the boys come!” _ A shrill whistle for aid was given at the same ~ time, and a shot came “tl carried the treasure directly, at Dick Dcom, It was answered with the man gave a loud cry and fell, the treasure-bag striking the floor with s heavy, ringing sound, At the same monevt the cther man madea spring and clutched with Dick Doom just as _ another appeared in the window witha bright © half a dozen voices were heard with- the light of the made as bright as day and A suppressed cheer answered this informa ion, an‘ the men were ascen when loud end clear came “For your lives men, fly 2%, “There are dozens of cflicers bidden in the With cries of terror the men gg cal d back, just as Dick I -stroggling with bis powerful edvervary, beheld a woman’s form in the hal) and beard her ery: ~ **Come, Clyde, or all is lost!” ati The man, with a mighty e hurled Dick Doom from him and Brean PECL AS ae him as he fell, while, dragging the door to hh him as be rushed out Leran along the hallto- — _weard the front door, i aw quick asa flash Dick Doom was upon — his feet and seizing his lantern he threw open Frye As he did so he caught ) na 1 woman flying along the hall, and he ‘gnlegenuenaa 3 ! But as the words left | rung out, echoing through the ma) g his lantern, das ; and all was darkness, — Ps Withee: t! Fite Ah ESE 4 es “That shot killed him,” cried the man, but — the words followed from the ‘womens, ha xaaty a fi r ' this, and were searching that night they had de- by the dining-room door nd leck quickly, if there —_ long while, when sudden- toward the dining-room a few paces of it, sudden- from the man who ital promptness, for — lantern the rocm was the man in the | only that young detective, | is ‘ . a > es om Witbin the man- > and ina woman’s voice: ne from tree by aladder, _ . WY al i] ey vr ‘ ’ 4 D ” » Pe oe Bus : ffort of strength — rin Le ret sight of the manand his lips a sharp report th ‘Cuter the hed it to pieces Ue ‘ q La * A oe!" ei) . t é