Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 841 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee, A | paths ne beards oi ee ough they are very cleverly made, ae one i a dare-de Y oatraid. of nothing. He - straight at the | Keng go immediately, or some one will . little erp ae ar the jig’s up. work, but I guess you’ll have enough to keep you from starving, for all that. Good-night!” and he chuckled vere i as he closed the door, Sc it and dropped the key purposely on the oor. Down the stairs the three went, the big man never once loosing his vise-like grip on Max’s arm. Down the stairs and along the street, with never a person in sight to whom Max could shout for help, for he had resoived to risk the knife and call for assistance should the opportunity offer. But it did not. ' They traversed the whole distance between the starting-point and the residence of Mr. Mordaunt without seeing a sign of a human be- ing. Timtead at the house, Max’s captor, after a hurried glance up and down the street, ran with him up the steps, inserted the key in the door, and, followed_by his partner in crime, and still dragging Max with him, entered the house. He closed the door quickly behind him, and, without a moment’s hesitation—seeming, in- deed, to be perfectly familiar with the interior of the house, he went up the stairs and into the old gentleman’s room, ** You sit there,” he said, grimly, to Max, in- dicating a couch in the corner of the room fur- thest from the door, ‘‘and don’t you dare to move unless I tell you to. ed ‘‘ Now, Tom,” to his companion, “there is the cabinet,” near him, ‘‘and inside it is the cash. Hello! what’s this?” going hastily to the table. ‘* By Jove!” he continued, after a moment, ‘I guess the old fellow was counting the stuff when we sent for him, Here is a lot of loose change and a pile of bonds and securities lying on the table, i ‘T might as a “yi a mens of Sipe these silver in my pocke , thought : **it’s hand for car-fare.’ v3 “f ‘*Come!” said the one he had called Tom ‘who seemed a trifle nervous, ‘‘ Less prattle and to business. I want to get out of this as soon as possible,” , ‘*He’s no regular ‘crook’,” thought Max, eying the man Tom sharply, ‘‘and they have can see that, al- looks and speaks as though he is a bad egg, and I'll bet he has seen the inside of a prison; but all the same he’s no burglar or ordinary thief. Anyhow, if I ever see either one of them again, I’ll know him.” ee While Max had been thus musing to himself, the men had not been idle. | . Tea papas had been opened and a large tin ox taken out. : The box was not locked, and the raising of the lid disclosed the fact that it was nearly filled with gold and bank-notes. The giant rubbed his hands. ** How much did you say: there should be?” he asked of his companion, : ‘* Forty-five thousand dollars,” was the reply, Bins: there is going to be no counting done ere. ‘Mr, Tom is the fellow that’s posted,” thought ax. ; ‘‘No,” assented the big one. ‘“ a goees it’s ‘time we got out. Where is the sache ‘¢ Here,” | Together they stuffed the notes and gold into the open bag, until not a thing was left in the tin The big man took a twenty-dollar gold-piece in his hand and tossed it to Max. “¢ bce i he oid be a laugh. ** That will ou our lost time. 3 he piece fell on the couch by Max’s side, He seized the gold and sprung to his feet, an angry flush burning on his face. ointing to an artiele of furniture : Messenger Max. *'You’re right, Tom,”.9. muttered, and giv- iug Max a cruel cuff on the ear that made him dizzy, he picked up the sachel, and, followed by Tom, who had taken the brave messenger-boy by the arm, they descended the stairs to the front hall. ‘* We ought to leave this young ’un here,” said the big man, pausing. ‘* There is no time,” replied the fellow Tom, ** What shall we do with him?” **Oh, we can drop him somewhere as we go along.” ‘Well, you take the bag, and let me, have hold of him; he would get away from you,” and the giant once more took hold of Max, ‘* Now, my boy,” he said, meaningly, *‘if you know what’s best for you, you'll keep as silent as the grave.” The door was opened, and in a moment more, they were in the street. Max looked eagerly about him. Now wasthe time tocall for help, if ever, while they had the booty in their possession. ‘Tf I could only see a policeman,” he thought. But none were in sight, They were approaching the City Hall. Suddenly around the corner appeared a form, Max’s heart gave a quick bound. It was a policeman. At the same time the giant’s grip on the boy’s arm tightened until it stopped the circulation, ‘yar a bent over and ground out between his eeth ; ‘*Mind—if you make a sound, [ will kill you!” The policeman came nearer. Max had resolved to make a desperate effort to free himself from the iron grip on his arm, as soon as they were near the officer, and tu cry for help. Patiently he awaited his ahr The big man glanced hastily around. There was no one but the policeman in sight. They drew nearer together—they were side by side. ‘* Help! help!” cried Max, lustily, trying to wrench himself free. Then he fell to the pavement, stunned and bleeding from a furious blow from the hand of the t, who at the same instant, and with the . aes a cat, hit the officer a terrible blow with his huge *st, and without a sound the rep- resentative of the iaw went to earth also. There was a hasty scuffling of feet on the pavement, and the two desperadoes disappeared around the corner. They bad been successful; their plans had worked, and they had escaped with their booty, but soon there would be trackers after them who would be tireless in the chuse—who would never giveup beaten. | And Max had said to himself that he would know them both again, CHAPTER III. STRICKEN DOWN. THE officer was the first to recover his wits and stagger to his teet. : His mind was not very clear as to what had happened. e had met two men and a boy on the street, some one had cried ** Help,” and then he thought a mule had kicked him, or something resembling a catapult had struck him, and he had fallen senseless to the pavement, fai looked hastily around him for an explan- ation, ’ At that moment Max slowly raised himself to his feet, In an instant the officer pounced upon him and seized him by the collar, ‘*You young villain!” he cried. ‘I've g6t you,anyhow. Come along!” . “What shall I come along for? What do vou want with me?’ asked Max,in a bewildered Take it back, you thief!” he cried, in a clear | tone, for he was still considerably dazed from ng voice, burling it with all his force, nt’s head. The giant dodged, but not quite quickly enough, for the gold-piece struck his ear, clip- ping off a piece of the lobe about the size of a white bean. “You young fiend!” cried the man, springin upon Max and seizing him roughly, “ ran break your neck for that.” He probably would have carried out his | Sirend had not the man Tom grasped him by e arm. ‘‘Come,” he said. ‘'No foolishness now! temper for once, when so We must leave this house get on to our Come!” » Or Ce ee ‘St. 4 ‘ te Pit =~ he be ay - { 4 , « a ~ . < . -- + - * ~ wt - hoa - — ; -— a ‘a we i y. Cra 4 ges 4 4 ‘ : 7 - er 5 / ete" se ‘ * antes ' 4 » r es ~ =) > "et? s t 2e tate “e'4 . e “s as Oe \ AY . < * lay” 7) i Sted . i . ; as ~— 7 ~ A me’ I ot; »*% ee Pe ae {te 2) Vig .7 . “+ * ¥ ad ~ 4 a :, Bre fA it oe ren the effect of the blowhe had received. _ ** You'll find out later,”replied the policeman, grimly, jerking the boy ae? roughly. **T have done nothing,” said Max. *“*Ain’t,eh? We'll see about that.” ** No; but those men who had me with them have just robbed a house in Remsen street.”’ -** Oh!” derisively. , ‘*’‘Yes—Mr. Mordaunt’s.” = ** How do you happen to know so much about it?” asked the officer, witha grin of disbelief. ** Because they took me there with them,” ‘* Oh! wey did, eh?” | ‘* Yes, e big one first sent me there with a note for Mr. Mordaunt,andI guided him to Num- ber — Fulton street, where the man said his nephew was lying, seriouslyhurt. When we got there they took us both prisoners, bound and J * a i & : d PT. . oe 4iy “—- ' “Vee - . ‘ a 4 p 7 a - * - is A ~ [hg —=* on ? ( — ’ \ | ‘ oo? a * ~~ &% » Tae ~~ hag he iad a hee a. Ald &* hae ws d || i ? ; 7 as naw he ¥ ~~ a” "i ‘~ “ ; - = * = . Liege O ~ - a Ae 4 tnd FS eh! = A } " a 2° ‘Se SS es a ak eat oh eh iN Ce A Ra So gagged Mr. Mordaunt, and taking me with them Petry his house of forty-five thousand dol- ars. “ That’s a pretty good story, young fellow, Keep right on and you'll make a good one; but you can’t pull the wool over my eyes, Not much, my covey. I’m too fly for you.” **Don’t you believe me?” asked Max, indig- nantly. ‘*1’m not quite such an oyster as all that.” ** Tt’s the truth,” ** Possibly.” ‘* You can goto Number — Fulton street,up the stairs, first door to the right, and you will find Mr. Mordaunt bound and gagged in the room, as [ told you.” ‘*That may be, too, but I doubt it very much,” said the officer. ‘* You tell your story to the sergeant at the desk, and it will be looked ee but you'll be in safe-keeping in the mean me, ** What!” cried Max, ‘‘do you mean to say one you’ think Ihad anything to do with the thing? ‘* 1t looks as though you hada great deal to do with it.” “a did—that is true—but they forced me to; ‘* Sure!” ‘*One of them gave me some of the money, apd I threw it at him.” The policeman looked at Max an instant in blank astonishment. | ‘* That’s the first nonsense you've talked,” he said sharply. ‘‘I don’t believe you now, any- way, and you’d better shut up till you get to the station-house.” They walked on in silence, | Presently the station-house was reached. The officer told his story about being knocked down in the street without warning, to the ser- eant, and added something of the story Max ad told him of a robbery at Mr, Mordaunt’s house. Max was then asked the usual questions, and requested to make whatever statement he chose, He told the sergeant all that had transpired, from the time he was called across the street by the burglar. ** Your great mistake was in not reporting at Per office first,” said the sergeant, not un- ‘“* Yes, sir,” replied Max; ‘‘ I know that now.” **You look honest,” continued the officer in charge, ‘‘ but some of these circumstances are very much against you, my boy.” ‘* Must I be locked up?” ** Yes, for ee at least.” ‘“‘Can I send a letter to my mother, sir? she will be frightened if I do not get home at six in the morning.” | ‘‘ Have you money to pay a messenger?” ‘* Yes, sir.” ‘‘T will call one. Write your note but make it short,” said the obliging sergeant, who liked Max’s bright, frank eyes, and who really be- lieved bis story. So Max wrote: ‘*Dearn MOTHER:— ‘*Do not be frightened about me if’ I am twenty- four hours late in getting home. “In great haste, 7) WELL,”’ The sergeant took it. , ‘*T will see that it is sent,” he said, and Max handed him the money to pay for it. Then he was searched. ; | How thankful he was that he did not have that twenty-dollar gold-piece burning in his cket. Pet Your story will be investigated,” said the sergeant as Max was being led away, @ was conducted down a long corridor, a door was unlocked, and in a moment more he found himself for the first time in a cell. There was a gas-jet burning outside, and a feeble light flickered into the narrow place, Max shuddered with a kind of unknown hor- ror as he looked about him and realized where @ was. The chill of the place seemed to strike him with unnatural force, and he felt cold. The narrow cot on which he was expected to ae oes him with dread. ee A eon of all the disreputable characterswho — had occupied that cot in the past seemed in a sort of vision to pass in review before him, Burglars, petty thieves, tram thought of them all, and he too the middle of the cell, resolved anything in it if he could avoid it. “T am his stand in % , drunks—he = not to touch glad mother does not know where L. }- 2 w - - Ban oy