Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 849 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

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Dey’s all in white, ob cou’se, an’ dey oes floatin’ ’roun’ in de atmusfeer like noth- n’ a tall.” ‘* And how came you to see them?” ‘‘Why, I—I done heard a noise one night, an —an’—an’ I looked out ob my doah, an’ dere dey was, a-floatin’ up an’ down de hall ny all mad; an’ dat was enough fo’ me, you et.” ‘And it’s quite enough for me, too,” de- clared Billy, the smile on his face invisible in the dark. ‘‘I'll let you off, Jack, if you'll go to bed and go to sleep, for] am not afraid of ghosts or robbers either; not saying that you are, you understand.” ‘All right, sah! No, I ain’ afraid, ob cou'se ; but den I need my rest.” ‘Certainly. Well, good-night and good sleep to you.” The darky responded to that and glided away, glad enough to get out of a disagree- able situation so easily, apparently. Billy had his own opinion about the ghosts, and how Mr. Snipe had come to see them. He believed the darky had been prowling for the tin box, and had been frightened out by others on the same errand. He now closed the window, taking care to notice what manner of fastening it had, and he was sure no one could have opened it from without unless it had previously been unfastened within. Had the mysterious man, whoever he was,an accomplice in that house? Undoubtedly his mission, too, had been the finding of the tin box. Billy had with him a flat, pocket bull’s- eye, but he hesitated about lighting it unless it became absolutely necessary. He did, however, light it, in order to have it ready when occasion required. Turned low, it would burn for a great length of time, ‘even in his pocket, to which he returned it after berg Having locked the window, he prepared to leave the room, to go below where it had been planned the robber should enter, ac- cording to the report he had had from his _ Arab ally, Ticket; and he knew he could de- end on that to the letter. He called Ticket phonograph. While lighting his lantern he had glanced around the room, locating the doors, and now he advanced to one which, he judged, opened upon the hall. He was not mistaken, and stepping out he closed the door silently and felt along to find the stairs. It was darker than Erebus, and he had to proceed with caution. There was no hurry about it, however, so he took his time, and ere long was safely down in the basement hall, without having made a sound that could draw attention even with the household awake. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs for a moment, he fancied he heard.something on the floor above. His ears were keen, and hearing it again, he knew he was not mistaken. The next moment a faint light appeared at the top of the stairs. Billy drew away quickly, feeling along the wall, and to his satisfaction discovered a deep recess alongside the front door, into which he stepped, pressing himself as close as possible. person was coming slowly down the stairs, carrying a ing ight, and as Billy looked out from his hiding-place he saw it was a woman. As she came nearer he found she was old, and hence knew it must be the old servant, Betsy Bennet. ‘‘One of Jacksnipe’s ghosts, no doubt,’’. roing to do,” The old woman was barefooted, with Sey a skirt on over her nightgown, and would not have made a sound had it not been that her aged joints now and again gave out a slight creak. She made no pause, but crossed the lower hall and carefully opened the door of what proved to be the dining-room. This she did not close again but left ajar, and as soon as she was within, the watching detective crept near and looked to learn what her errand was. She had put her tiny night-lamp on the table, and stepping to the chimney, in which was an old-fashioned fireplace, she began scene carefully over every inch of its sur- ace, Billy was led to believe the money might be hid somewhere there, for it was possible that this old servant would know something about the hiding-place, even though she might not know the precise spot or how to get at it. But, though she spent al- most or quite an hour, her search was fruit- less. Finally, with a sigh, she gave up, and tak- ing up her lamp again started to leave the room, Billy sprung back to his place of hiding, and .she came out and went slowly up- stairs, having closed the door as she had found it, As soon as she was out of sight and hearing Billy came forth and entered the room, closing the door, and now he brought out his bull’s-eye and flashed it over the chimney. The woodwork was inlaid and carved, a combination of both, and it was quite prob- able that there was a secret drawer or door in it somewhere; but if so it did not appear at a glance, and as the clock on the mantel marked half-past twelve, Billy soon turned off his light. Be had taken a good survey of the room, and proceeded to the kitchen in the dark without trouble. The rear windows were faintly discernible. Without loss of time Billy made the circuit of the room with caution, feeling for a place in which to hide himself. | The idea of going into one of the closets did not please him at all, for the robber would be pretty certain to look in them, and Billy wanted to give him time to search. Finally, in one corner, his feet touched what seemed to be a curtain, and on feeling with his hand he found that was what it was. It was hanging from the edge of the line of stationary tubs, and nearest the window was a table where there was lots of room. The curtain hung here, too, and Billy was soon behind it. ‘Here he waited, patiently, and at last his patience was rewarded, He heard a sound without, and then the window was carefully tried, There was a pause, then the click and creak, faintly, of some instrument being used, and a breath of cool air told that the window had been lifted. The next moment the light of a bull’s-eye was flashed around. ‘*Tt’s all right an’ all clear,” a voice hoarse- ly whispered, and then the light was turned off and Billy heard the man getting in. ‘* Will yer come in too, or wait?” the same voice then asked. ‘**T’ll come in, of course,” the answer. ‘* Come on, then.” Another pause, while the second man got in, and then the light was once more turned on. Peering cautiously out, Billy saw that both mep were carefully masked, but he re- cognized them easily enough as Tony Van- griff and Hugh Higgin. They took a survey of the kitchen, look- ed casually into the closets, and after a few y’s $100,000 Snap. 7 minutes proceeded to the next room, evi- dently having no hope that the treasure could be found here, When they were gone, Billy came out and stepped to the open window. He heard a cricket-call without, and an- swering this, faintly, two other persons came to the window, when a further ex- change of signals was made, The new-comers were Happy Harry and Silent Seth, and with Billy’s help they drop- ped noiselessly into the room. ‘The window was then closed, and the two aides took up their station there. Waving given them some words of direc- tion, Billy crept out to follow the two burg- lars, to learn whether they discovered any- thing or not, It was a ticklish task, but Broadway Billy was equal to its performance, and he followed the two rascals throughout their hunt for the hidden fortune without be- traying his presence, Their search was a failure, as they might have known it would be, with no clew to Fe peli However, Higgin-was not the ellow to allow it to be a blank entirely if he could help it, and upon their return to the dining-room he gave his attention to some plate. He filled a small bag with such selections as he saw fit to make, and when he had done the pair were ready to take their leave. They passed out to the kitchen, and were half-way across to the window before they made an alarming discovery. Higgin flashed his lantern toward the window, preparatory to shutting it off, when it revealed two youths with revolvers in hand, and with an ejaculation Higgin dropped his bag and turned off the light; but Silent Seth flashed a light upon them, while Happy Harry cried out: ‘‘Hands up! It’s no use, my daisies, for you have run against the worst old snag you ever struckin your lives. This is Broad- way Billy’s combination, and it’s set to go off at hair-trigger touch. We never—that’s the ticket, boss; now they are our pickles, sure enough!” CHAPTER VIL. SOMEWHAT SUSPICIOUS, Ir was a victory complete, and about as clever a capture of the kind as ever was made. While Happy Harry was _ speaking, Broadway Billy caught hold of the fellows from behind, a hand of each, and like a flash had them coupled together with a pair of stecl bracelets. ‘Don’t you try it!’ he cried, thrusting a revolver in their faces as they reached for weapons with their free hands. ‘* You'll ke brought to a hasty repentince if you do, I tell you. Seth, just relieve them of their pistols, if they’ve got any.” The Silent Shadower stepped forward promptly to obey, ‘‘ Yer had better leave us alone,” growled Hugh Higgin. ‘* We ain't done nothin’ ter you, an’ this is our own business.” ‘It happens to be my business just now,” returned Billy. ‘‘ Let’s see who you are, anyhow. Why, Hugh Higgin, how d’e do? Hello! this isa bad fix for you to be in, Tony Vangrilff,” The two fellows looked cheap and sick enough as Billy tore away their masks, and their faces were not a little pale. “Say, can't you let us go?” asked Tony, eagerl, ‘T’ll come down handsome, if you onl; will, How did you know us, any- how? You never had anything to do with us before, that I’m sure of,” ‘‘Nary a let go!” Billy grimly assured. ‘‘As to how I know you, I happen to know more than one crook in this little town. There, now you're disarmed, and you will not be hurt if you do not cut up any t ——> oe