Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 837 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

_ to be full, and replied: ‘* A couple blocks off.” ** What is your name?” “ Tierney.” “‘Common name around here. Drop around on my beat some time; I shall be glad to see you any time.” i To prove his good will, the officer put out i his hand to grasp that of Mr. ‘‘ Tierney ”—a step which made a.cold chill pass through Tierney’s frame. He had good reasons for not taking that hand, , ‘Excuse me,” he returned, in a voice which trembled suspiciously, ‘‘but I have lost the action of my arms and can’t shake hands.” “* Palsy ?” ‘*T can’t say.” *‘T am somewhat of a doctor in the mes- meric way. Possibly I can suggest the ex- act cause of the trouble on examination. Let me see your arms.” Again he reached out, but the object of his solicitude was duly cautious. He kept his position and answered: ‘Thank you for your interest, but I would not think of it. I am under treatment now, and can’t meddle with the other doctor.” **QOhb! all right.” The patrolman was annoyed by the cool way in which he was rebuffed, and he let the mites drop without any more talk. He rose to leave the yard. “‘So-long, boys,” he said, carelessly. ‘“Good-night, officer. Watch out for the man with hanacuffs on his wrists, and nab him if he shows up.” ‘* He don’t come near my beat and get off clear, now you bet.” With a swing of his club to emphasize the assertion, the blue-coat marched off toward the street. ‘Tierney drew a breath of relief, butit was only one drop in the bucket. He was still in trouble. ¥ CHAPTER XIV. AN OMINOUS ENCOUNTER, TrERNEY sat ina hopeless attitude, The story of the man with handcuffs on his wrists was of deep interest to him, for he was none other than Henry Corliss, and the objectionable irons were still in place, ee After all that had been said he knew he -__ eould not rely upon his present companions b to remove them, and he became desirous of getting rid of them as soon as possible, but eat: there was the danger to be feared if he |. went out on the street when a general alarm had been sent out for him, and all police- men were supposed to be on the watch for a ls him. i Lae Where was he to go, anyhow? hie I. That was the question he asked himself, | ‘but he found no answer. Gy ae : The night watchman suddenly rose, — ._- ** Boys,” he remarked, ‘‘I shall have to ask ~youto adjourn, now. The hour is late, + and this ain’t a place where folks are allowed vie to loaf, you know. Ishall be glad to see ” you all some other evening. He looked at Henry as he spoke, as if to indicate that the invitation was for him, too, but the fugitive was conscious only of the | fact that he must go out, whether he wished tk or not, ' ye He rose with the rest, and was soon on the | ___ street. New York had never looked so omin- | ~~ ous to him before as it did then, even if he _ |. had been acting the prowler for some days. | A general alarm! Then how could he es- | cape notice? 4. ~+Down the street he wandered—the street Pee! Re where every shadow seemed to threaten him. | _He was on the east side of the Bowery, and, Yee ___ as he did not dare to go back in that direc- » 4 tion, he formed the plan of going to the Sal _ East River and seeking some sort of seclu- {sion there. What would come of it he did | -_- not know, but something must be done. He |! : : ' ‘ 7 * , ~e 7 A at 4 Ny ~& e mt an) , * ~ a Loa ie es » i) 0 b al te . - . ' ‘ : : 2 oy hay te tas hee ‘> » 7 + P a ry : ey ie MO FH a i PF. . 7. vr ~ | se > s 1 4 n el or . s a» ) Pe ee Ley could not disappear mysteriously. It was a long and painful walk. He had to keep his ironed hands under his coat, and he expected the fact would impress every person he met as suspicious, but he was far more successful than he dared to express, and his destination was reached without ad- venture. Me happed to strike a lonely place along the river, and there he sat down on the pier ener there seemed to be no other sign of ife. He gazed at the stream with gloomy at- tention, ‘*One plunge and it would all be over!” he muttered. He shivered at the thought, a moment later. Despairing as he was, he was not coward enough to take the life held as a sacred trust. ‘“Why do I keep up this battle?” he add- ed, presently. ‘‘It is a losing game, and I may as well surrender myself at once as to continue the dog’s life Iam leading. Why not go to the police, now?” A sound on the pier back of him. He heard it not. “Oh!” he thought, ‘‘if I could only do something to help Petersen get the value of his bond! Surely, Jack Webber is a scoun- drel who will never do him justice. Why was I fool enough to trust the certificate to him? Poor Hecla!’ Again the sound. This time he heard it, He turned his head. 3 ! He saw a man creeping toward him in stealthy fashion. The fellow drew a knife and stood ina menacing attitude. i ‘* Well, what do you want?” Corliss curt- ly asked. ‘“ Your money,” was the prompt reply. Cotliss laughed bitterly. ‘What fools these mortals be! Man, I am without: money—” ‘* 1 don’t believe it!’’ ‘* All right; do as you please.” “Give up your money or I will kill you!” The stranger, who was plainly of the tramp order, moved forward with a stealthy tread, his eyes fixed sharply on Henry, but the latter did not show the least fear. ‘‘Go ahead with your plan, I don’t care a rep You may kill me as soon as you wish.” The stranger came to a full stop. He was now standing over his marked victim, the knife raised for the blow, but the coolness of the victim dazed him, ‘Put up your hands,” he requested. “* My friend, if you have any work to do, go about it. Ishall not put up my hands, and you can have this scene all to yourself. Stab away; I don’t care. Speed the knife!” ‘* Be you crazy?” ‘ ‘““No. I ama man in hard luck. You talk about money, but Tam not only out of the article, but out of love with life. I don’t care to fool with you—strike! I don’t want my life; if ree do, go ahead !’’ The knife fell, but not with a vicious stroke. Instead, it dropped solely because the tramp wassurprised into inactivity. He was not used to men who wanted to part from life in this way, and it was a vast sur- prise, indeed. | “IT don’t understand,” he muttered, “Don’t try. Strike!” The tramp shook his head. “I don’t see the why of this, at all,” he confessed, ‘‘ but Iam not going to do any- thing of the kind. Has luck used you so sai ne you don’t care whether you live or no ‘* Not a rap!” ‘‘ And you are bu’sted 2” ‘All but about twenty cents. Kill me and then take it.” ‘“Not I. I have seen something of ill- luck, myself, and know how to sympathize ;/ BS ‘The Big Four of the Bowery. . | eg on lowed desperately, for his throat appeared | was not a being of ethereal form, and he if you went to betray me, ’ « ’ , § ee a oe, « -- . ~— - in " = pF vide a 2 ee oe +% ‘2.48D iY oy with you, being put on your feet again—in other words, you would rise from your ashesif you could,. eh?” se Yes. >? ‘* Come with me,” “Where?” ‘‘Come and see.” Corliss rose promptly. The invitatiom to get out of his dilemma returned, Possibly, after all, there might be hope for him in the future, if he could make this man useful. He would try it. He was conducted away from the pier @ trifle, and to an old building. It looked to be deserted, but his guide produced a jkey and opened the door. As he did so he chuckled and remarked: ‘“You would not take me to be a house- holder, but you seelam. It’s because the: owners of the property have shut the place: up, and they think they have shut all others out. This is an error of judgment, for which they are not to be blamed.’ With this cheerful verdict the leader con- ducted his charge to a room on the second floor. ‘There he produced a light—a step by no means risky, since it was an “inside” room—and Corliss had opportunity to look around more fully. Evidently the room had once been an at- tachment of a store, but it was wholly de- serted, and only a bed of rags told that any human being had made use of it before, ‘‘Here we are, perfectly safe,’ added the guide. ‘‘I have food; you shall eat, I have a bed; you shall sleep. I have clothes,. but,” with a glance at his wretched gar- ments, ‘‘I do not think that you will want to wear them. Further than this, my name is Brooks.” The ragged man was very cheerful, his desire to do the robber act having all died away, and Corliss did not let the mood pass, He talked with his new acquaintance, trying” to decide on one important point. The thing that interested him most was, could he trust Brooks with the knowledge of the fact that he wore handcuffs? Some one must help him out of his dilemma, and he finally concluded that he had found just the right person. Brooks was no over of the law, as was very plain, so, unless his cupidity might lead him to be- tray the confidence, he was as safe as any-. body, perhaps. The subject was finally broached, ‘You say you will help me, eh?” ‘* Yes,” “* How far?” “Try me!’ ‘“Would you sell out a man to the police?” ‘* Never!” ““ Are you sure?” ** Dead sure!” «Then see here!” , Quickly Corliss brought his hands out from under his coat, and the irons were ex- posed. Silence followed, the tramp gazing at the strange sight in amazement. Clearly, it was something new in his experience, and he was a long while in finding his breath. Finally he turned his gaze upon Corliss’s face. | ‘Well, I'll be jiggered!” he exclaimed, ‘You see now how I am situated.” ‘‘T do, and I love you like a brother, by the Old Nick! Those things are the badge of your honor with me, and you will find I am one of the boys who stand by a fellow. Be tray you? Never, never!” | “Stick to your good intentions and you may be able to get rich out of it. The police would pay a small sum for your information ut I will do far more for you.” ‘‘ Say no more, for you are safe. But those things must come off.” ‘‘Immediately! Can you do it?” _ toa / “ : ‘ ’ . 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