Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 841 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Then Max, in asfew wordsas possible, related to Judge Curtis all that had happened the oo previous, omitting nothing, and concluding wit the remark: ‘‘T have no doubt but that this is some friend of Graff’s, and that he is seeking to get me into his clutches again. Judge, I think I will go to ‘the Astor House to-night, and meet him,” ‘¢ Not alone!” ‘ ‘Yes, alone. I might as well remain away as to have company. While I somehow do not think that the nephew committed either the robbery or the shooting of Mr, Mordaunt, I do believe that be either knows who did, or that by following him I will be brought into contact with the criminals. He may know them with- out knowing their movements. At any rate, I have got the bee in my hat, and I’m going to let it buzz for awhile, I shall not go in my proper rson, but in this rig, and when that fellow gets tired of waiting, I'll follow and see where he goesto. Ten to one, he'll take me direct to Kilian Graff,” ‘¢Tt is just seven o’clock,” mvrmured Max, as in the guise of the red-headed bootblack, he en- tered the Astor House that evening. There are always a multitude of men hanging about the place—sporting characters, and gentle- men using it as a place of meeting—and as Max entered, he had no difficulty in finding the man he was looking for, who was none other than Prince Charley. ‘¢ Shine?” said he, going up to him, ‘Vos; fire away,” and then, as Max was be- ginning operations: ‘‘ Do you know any of the *District Telegraph boys, sonny?” se VYe-u ‘7? “Tn Beobklyn?” ‘‘VYe-up; belong dere.” ss 3 you know Maxwell Merry?” e-up, ‘* You're just the lad I’m looking for, If you ‘will find him and bring him to me to-night (ll give you ten dollars,” ‘Wot d’ye want ’im fur?” ‘* That is my business,” ‘‘Sure, boss; but I can’t drag ’im by de hair, kin 1?” ‘‘ No—you will give him a message for me.” ‘* Wot one?” : ‘¢ This; tell him that Mr. Earl possesses some information which it will be greatly to his ad- vantage for him to know. Iam going away to- morrow, and he will have to seeme between now and to-morrow morning, if at all. Here isa dollar, and I'll give you the other nine when ou have done the job, or Pll give it_ to young erry for you.” yr Where shall I take him?” — ‘‘In front of this hotel. I will be on the steps Outside,” “All right, boss, Vl hev him there, sure pop,” and without another word Max turned and started away, Prince saying hastily that he would wait. Max had determined upon a rash act; he had made up his mind that he would appear in his own person and hear what Mr. Earl wished to communicate, the publicity of the place of meeting, together with the early hour when it would take place arguing that he would be in little or no danger if it should be 4 plot to re- capture him. ut he did not know the cunning and tenacity of the man, Prince, or he would have hesitated, The trap was well-laid, and Max was prepar- ing to walk into it, sharp and bright as he was an 8 it would spring upon him, ou air ‘with a snap so suddeu and sharp that he woul have no chance to fight or cry out. CHAPTER X. THE INTERVIEW—RUSHING INTO DANGER, MAXWELL MERRY certainly possessed re- markable courage for a lad of his age. He never paused to count the dangers of au under- taking where he considered that the thing to be done was his duty, and as he made bis way back toward the Astor House, after baving changed bis clothes so that he was ouce more Max, the messenzer boy, bis whole mind was upon what he might discover in the interview which he was to have with the stranger. ; He had no doubt that a plot_bad been laid to recapture him, by Kilian Graff, but he felt that inasmuch as he was on the lookout for it, he could keep himself out of danger. Their meeting was to be on the steps of the Astor House, and he smiled at the idea of being abducted from there, It was nearly half-past nine when he present- ed himself at the door, and he at once saw the Messenger Max. man who called himself Earl leaning against the door-frame, smoking, but he made no sign, as be was not supposed to know the one who wished to see him. Prince saw Max at the same time, and went hastily toward him. ‘* Are you Maxwell Merry?” he asked. ‘‘- Yes,” replied Max, ‘'l was told that you wished to see me, so lam here. What is it you want of me?” ‘¢ et us step to one side where we can talk better,” said Prince, ‘‘Oh, no, that is unnecessary; we can talk well enough here.” ‘‘Very well, You are in search of the men who robbed Mr. Mordaunt, some few nights ago—’ ‘¢Am I?’ asked Max, innocently, but Prince did not notice the interjection, and continued: “And you have been pursuing a man named Graff, who is the nephew of the dead man.” Thank’, awfully! But I knew all that be- fore. You seem to be pretty well posted, mis- ter. ‘Yes: I received my information partly from Graff, and manufactured the rest out of some from another quarter,” went on Prince, coolly. ‘* Now, what I want to know, is, are you very anxious to find the men you are af- ter? “Say,” said Max, sharply; “I don’t know what you ara driving at. If you have got any- thing to tell me that 1 can understand, please say so,” ‘See if you can comprehend this, then: If there is any possibility of your making it worth my while, I can show you how you can put your paws onto the men you are after, inside of an hour,” Max might naturally be expected to have felt greatly elated upon eet such infor- mation, but if he was, he did not show it in the least. ‘Oh, I see,” he said; ‘it is a stake you are af- ter. ou belong to that class which barters in the blood and liberty of their friends.” Prince ground his teeth together in ill-sup- sressed anger at that cool daring of the lad, and inwardly resolved that when the time came he would have a personal score to settle with him as well as with bis friend Graff, ** Enough of this,” he said, gruffly. ‘I am told tbat you bave some money which you are willing to spend in apprebending these men, Now I can tell you where you can put your paws onto them with very little trouble, pre vided you see that [ am well paid for it,” His manner was so earnest, and his talk was that of such a thorough-going scoundrel, that Max was more than half-deceived, and began to think'that the stranger knew what be was talking about. At any rate, he concluded to look a lit- tle deeper into the matter before dropping it entirely. | ‘* How much do you want?” he asked, ‘** Not much; say a thousand cases.” ‘*'W hen do you want it?” ** Pll take five hundred to-night, and five hun- dred more when the job’s done,” ‘*No, you don’t,” said Max, sharply. ‘* You can’t make five a, aes of me so easily.” ‘Well, a hundred now, then.” ‘No, sir! Nothing now; but deliver those men over to the police, and I will see that you get the thousand dollars, and if they are con- victed you will get more.” Prince Charley appeared to be thinking deep- ly for several moments. Suddenly he looked up and said: ‘Say, young fellow, your ‘ prop.’ suits me all right, but you see I ain't the only one concerned in it; there is another one with whom I have got to divide, and he’s really the boss of this job. As far as Tam concérned vour suggestion is per- fectly satisfactory, but he might kick—what then?” ‘Let him kick, if itll make him feel better. It’s that or nothing. I won't consent to any other arrangement,” “That's just it, see? Now Ill tell you what we'll do; we'll jump into that cab yonder, and go and see this friend of mine and talk the mat- ter over with him. He will consent to your plan when he sees that you aro determined, and we can fix the whole thing up for lotting the cops in on them, see?’ and without waiting for a re- ply from Max, he signaled to the cab and walked across the pavement to where it drew up along- side of the curb. But Max remained perfectly quiet where he had been standing, and Prince, who bad opened the door of the cab, looked around and saw that the lad had not followed him, 9 ‘* Sharp as a steel-trap!” be muttered, as he.re- crossed the pavement to Max’s side. ** Well,” he said, *‘ are you coming?” ‘*T guess not, now,” returned Max. take too much for granted,” ‘* How so?” | ‘* You don’t stop to ask a fellow if his engage- ments will permit him to accompany you, and you see, unfortunately, mine don’t.” ‘‘Then we'll bave to drop the whole thing, that’s all,” said Prince, savagely. ‘‘ 1m sorry, but I guess that’s true,” returned Max, unmoved, ‘* Why don’t you go with me and let your en- gagement wait?” ** Can’t.” / “ Well, what will you do? Will you come back here a little later and go with me?” “ Don’t know; that depends. I might get back here in an hour, or even less,” ‘‘ Well, do that, and I'll have my friend here, so that you won’t have to go to him.” ‘* All pight,” said Max; ‘'it’s a go.” Without another word he turned and re- entered the Astor House rotunda, and dartin up the stairs as quickly as he could, in a momen more he issued from the building at the Vesey street entrance, and hurrying down that thor- oughfare a little way, crossed it and sauntered back slowly on the other side. Reaching the corner, he paused for a moment in ‘the shadow of a friendly peanut stand, where he could see the spot where he had stood with Prince but a moment before. ‘*[ didn’t make any mistake,” he muttered, as he saw the black-mustached man issue from the rotunda entrance. ‘ He’s been trying to find out where I went to.” Prince glanced around him quickly and nerv- ously, and then sauntered up to the cab he had previously called, and stood there several mo- ments as if reflecting, “‘That’s very ny done,” muttered the boy, “but I'll bet sixpence that his ‘friend’ is no other than Kilian Graff, and that he is inside that coupé this minute.” In a moment more he saw Prince say some- thing to the driver, and then he entered the cab, and it drove up Broadway. “They'll be back here in an hour,” thought Max, ‘‘and inthe mean time I might as well change my clothes.” Waiting a moment longer until the cab was well on its way up the street, the gallant young fellow started off on arun, and ere lopg was leaning over the counter in the office of the United States Hotel. ‘¢ J}] take that sachel I left here a little while ago, if you please,” he said to the clerk, who re- ceived his check and handed him a little bag. Taking it, with a word or two of thanks, he went out and down toward the river, making his way slowly out on one of tbe piers, to where bale upon bale of cotton was piled 1n great con- fusion. It did not take him long to select a sheltered spot, where he began divesting himself of bis garments, In fifteen minutes he was again the bootblack, with bis face and hands dirtier than ever, Then hurrying back to South street he quick- Jy found an always-open baggage-express office. ‘‘ A young feller wanted me to leave this ’ere grip fur you ter send ter Churchtown,” he said to the man in the little coop. ‘ All right,” said the man; “ pay ip advance,” “Cert. Gi’ me der change outen that, ’cos’ de man said it was for me,” and he passed over a dollar, receiving bis fifty cents in change, and insisting upon a receipt “to prove that be was O. K.,” he said, ‘‘in case somebody else gobbled de grip.” r There !’ thought Max, as he started slowly up Fulton street, “I don’t believe that fellow will know me now from Adam, He may recog- nize me as the one who shined him up and then did an errand for him, but I don’t care if be does,” The street was nearly ceserted, as compared with its condition when he bad left it an hour before, but a cab was standing before the rotun- da entrance of the Astor House, and on ‘the steps, a few feet away, stood Prince, | ‘“Shine!” he shouted, hurrying toward the motionless figure. ‘Shine ’em up, boss! Only a-—- Hullo! You's de man w’ot got me ter do a job fur ye, an’ ci n’t paid me yet. Say, didn’t young Merry como here? ‘Yes, he cane.” ’ “Well, ye didn’t give him de balance due me, as yo said he would, ’coa I see’d him a few min- utes ago, an’ be said so.” ee ‘Did you ask him for it?” 1Course I did.” ‘You comicbooks