Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 849 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 Broadway Billy’s $100,000 Snap. The voung detective measured her with one swift glance. A rather good-looking blonde, but one whom he would not. trust very far, ‘* You wished to see me, sir?” she spoke. “Yes, if you are Miss Merrett,” was the response.” ‘‘That is my name, sir. You are a stranger to me, I know.” ‘You may have heard of me, I did not send you my business card. Iam a profes- sional detective, popularly known as Broad- way Billy.” ‘*Goodness mercy!” The young woman clasped her hands, and a look of alarm came into her face. Billy had taken care to speak in low tone, for he did not desire to have his business known to the servants, especially Kate Kreuger. ‘*] must have a few minutes’ private talk with you,” Billy went on to say, ‘‘and as I do not want to be overheard I will not speak aloud. When did you discover the tin box, Miss Merrett?” The girl’s face now grew decidedly pale, and she gave a gasp. ‘Why, sir, I—I have not found it,” she declared earnestly. ‘‘ Truly I have not found it, sir.” ‘‘T was under the impression you had. Pardon the mistake. Of course you will not deny that you know to what I refer.” ‘‘Oh, no, certainly not; you mean the tin box containing the hundred thousand dollars that was left to Mr. Sherwin. There is no hope of finding it, now, I guess.” ‘*Why do you think so?” ‘* Because the house has been so thorough- ly searched,”’ ‘* Still, it must be here somewhere, if it has not been found. It only remains to solve the secret,” ‘* And have you cometo look forit, at this hour?” ‘*No; I have come to protect it against robbers who intend paying a visit to-night.” - ** Goodness mercy !” ‘‘You see, there was reason to believe you had found the treasure, and that these men knew of it and were coming to relieve you of it.” ‘‘ And what are you going to do?” ‘‘T, want your permission to remain in the house all night, that is all. You may retire in peace; I'll take care of them when they come. I don’t want one of the servants to know anything about it.” ‘But; how do I know who you are? What if you are not what you claim to be?” ‘‘] think I can satisfy you on that, point. Here is my badge, and here’s a newspaper clipping with a woodcut of myself which you may compare with the original.” ‘* Yes, I cannot doubt you, sir; but how can you think of remaining here and the servants not know anything about it? That seems impossible, for Washington will re- main to let you out,” ‘‘Easily got over, I think,” said Billy. ‘Tell him J’m your cousin and have me put to bed. When the house is still I can come down and take up my watch.” ‘‘T do not like that plan at all, sir. Would it not be better to take Washington into your confidence?” * ee you know that he is to be trusted?” sé es. ,? ‘* Well, all right, for remain I must, some- ip Call him in and we’ll see how he takes _ Billy could have worked his scheme an- other way, of course, but he had an object in view in taking the course he had. First, he wanted to see Miss Merrett, to form his opinion of her, and next, he wanted to know whether or not she had herself found the tin box. But on that point he was not satisfied. the tin box, accusing her of having found it, had made their impression; and yet, it might have been only natural emotion on her part and nothing of proof of her guilt in the matter, She stepped to the door and bade the liveried darky enter the room. He obeyed, coming inside, where he stood as stiff as a statue on exhibition. ‘*Come here, Sambo; I want to talk with you,” said Billy. ‘‘Sah!” and the darky drew himself up until his very buttons glistened with dignity. ‘‘T hab yo’ to know, sah, my name is Wash- ington Jackson Snipe.” ‘*T could never get over all that when I wanted to speak to you,” Billy flatly de- clared. ‘‘ Ill call you Wash, or Snipe, just as you please; but I can’t bind myself to your full name.” Miss Merrett here laughed. “T hear the others calling him Jack Snipe, and oftener Jacksnipe,” she made re- mark, Billy laughed too, while the darky looked very much injured. However, the de- bays proceeded to make it all right with im. “Tll be easy with you,” he said. ‘‘T'll call ips simply Jack. So, Jack, I want to tell you, quietly, that you are going to have robbers here to-night, and you and I must capture them,” The big fellow gave a gasp, his face took on a dirty-gray tinge, and his eyes rolled. ‘What is more,” Billy added, ‘‘ you are not to mention this to any one, but you and I will keep watch after the house has been shutup. Now, ’m going to step out of sight behind one of these curtains here, and your mistress will go with you into the hall, where she will say good-night, as though to me, and you will then open and close the front door, and Ill be gone. Do you see?” ‘* It is so plain he can’t help it, sir,” spoke the young woman, ‘ Come along, Jack, and carry it out.” She led the way into the hall, where she bade good-night to an imaginary personage, and the darky performed his part as Billy had laid it out for him. That done, she said something to the darky in a lower tone, and returned up-stairs, while Broadway Billy went to take his place behind the curtain as he had indicated his in- tention of doing. — As he stomped to the curtain, though, and drew it aside, a most surprising thing hap- pened. A strong arm was flung around his neck, together with a fold of the curtain, and in the same moment he received a heavy blow on the side of the head that made him stag ger. Another fold of the curtain was flung around him, another blow was dealt, and down the young detective went, draggin the curtain with him, and in the same secon he heard hasty but light steps across the floor toward the rear parlor, the sliding doors of which he had noticed to be slightly apart. With a couple of hasty jerks Billy freed his head, just in time to see a man ina mask dart through the opening between the doors. One effort more and Billy was up and after ae revolver in hand ready for use if need- ed. The rear room was dark, save for the light that came in from the other, and as Billy entered he was no more than in time to catch another glimpse of the manas he disappeared through an open window Bay was there in no time, and looked out, but the man was gone as completely as though he had taken wings. Not a sign of him was to be seen anywhere, though the window opened upon a rear piazza and it was some distance to the steps leading down ~ Her look of alarm when he named his | to the ground. Tusiness, and her paleness when he spoke of Billy had not put his head out the win- ’ # dow, he knew the danger of thus inviting a blow should the man be at one side close against the house and waiting for him; but now he put out his hat, cautiously, as a decoy. It was done safely, however, and when no blow came the detective ventured his head, taking a thorough view. Scarcely a quarter of a minute had thus been lost, but the man was indeed out of sight. illy stepped out, quietly, and looked alk around. Here was more mystery. It was certain that this man was neither Tony Vangriff nor Hugh Higgin, for Happy Harry and Silent Seth were attending to them. Knowing that Higgin would play Van- eriff a trick if he could, Billy was not go- ing to allow him the chance if he could help it, and as no signal came from Harry or Seth he knew it was neither of these men. Who, then, was it? Not only that, but how had the person gained entrance into the house? It looked as though there was an accom- plice within, who had left the window over the piazza open. The darky had now returned into the front room, and Billy heard him utter an ex- clamation on discovering the curtain on the floor in a heap. Fearful lest he might raise an alarm, Billy sprung in at the window again and ran to the folding doors, where he motioned to the colored fellow to hold his peace and say nothing. ‘‘ Don’t say a word, Jack,” he cautioned in whisper, ‘‘ but the deuce is to pay here. There was a man behind that curtain when I went to hide there, and we had a little set-to in which I came off second best. Have you any idea who it was?” ‘‘Good hebbins!” was the exclamation of alarm. ‘‘ Yo’ doan mean it! Dis am de debbil’s own house, fo’ shua, what wid mys- teries, an’ robbers, an’ sech; ter say nothin’ ’bout ghostes what goes prowlin’ around at all hoursobdenight. No, I doan’ know who it was, but I has had ’bout enough, shua as. my name is Washington Jackson Snipe.” CHAPTER VI. SOME NOCTURNAL DOINGS, Buty had to smile, for the alarm of the big darky seemed genuine enough, but he set about reassuring him all he could. He was interested in what the fellow had let fall about ghosts, and meant to question him further when the opportunity came. For the present he only urged him to put, the curtain out of the way and turn out the lights. This was done, and Billy took his station by the rear open window while he waited for the house to become quiet, when the darky was to join him, Nothing further happened, gradually the sounds of the house died out, and at last the darky came into the room. ‘Am yo’ heah, boss?” he whispered. ‘‘Yes, right here,” answered Billy. ‘* Come along.” The black felt his way forward, and took a seat at Billy’s side. | ‘Say, mebby dat feller was yo’ robber w’ot you come heah to ketch,” he suggested. He had had time to think it over, and this came to him naturally, upon studying the: whole matter as he knew it. ‘‘No, that’s impossible,” Billy assured. ‘¢ Mine won’t be here for a couple of hours. yet, and there'll probably be a pair of them when they do come.” ‘* Well, I wish you would count me out of it, if yo’ doan’mind; I don’t hab no desire to figgzer in ketchin’ no robbers, I doan’; not dat I’s afeerd, yo’ know, but a feller might. git shot, yo’ see.” ‘Yes, that’s so. Well, maybe I'll let you 5 a) at a? = 7 ’ * ta’ .s = 2. ay Ss FS Ss =e & + a ee oe 3 ‘ ba ~*% — 4 ee fte.. «<. * 7 2 =H . — , . =" . ~~) & >> - L > - 4 5. o% . e “a ’ . = . - 7 P, e ’ > ¥ i z ‘ * : *PTin Sree =e ~_, 2 5 = = : — - » he on! &® a \ - ae : * — . ~ . Z Ming a 4 a S-2: Bae DOPE TI es oma So eae — 4 ; ail -_ = - - - ~ Mad 4 ™ . ‘ ie * 3 ~% ‘ am en he ~ . Site . : * > 2 - =< > 5 ae a} — Py ae - on «“ -- = oF it : pm es A Pa Fe eee, ees a ee * ~ ae] ~s ys @ “7 7 i) y | y | ae