Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 853 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

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A*s * ht I see, ” ** So he must die.” “*He isin prison, you say.” sires.” ‘«Then he is safe.” ** No, for you can reach him.” ** How?” ‘‘T do not wish to commit myself unless you pledge yourself to act.” ‘‘'There is money in it?” “You see this money?” ¢¢ Yes.” **'T-wo thousand dollars?” * Seu.” ** Now I will hand to you to-day five hun- dred dollars, and when you do as I demand, ss give you the other fifteen hundred dol- rs >? “What am I to do?” ** You are to go to the prison and pretend to be the brother of the man I refer to. ‘‘He is an Englishman, but you can say ou came over years ago and only lately earned of his trouble. ‘“‘T will give you his history so you will know just what name to give and what to ‘*T understand.” : ‘‘Once you have gotten into his cell tell him you came from Loyd Granger, to plot his escape from prison, and incidentally of- fer himadrink.” — ‘* Well?” **T’ll give you the flask to carry with you, and he loves liquor, so will eagerly drink it. ‘* Promise to call the next day to see him, but— ‘* You need not go, for he will be dead.” ° ‘* Dead ?” ** Yes, the liquor will be poisoned and one swallow will kill him, though not for half an hour or more, so you can get well away, and change the disguise you wear there, for you must not go as you are,” ‘*] see.’ “Will you do it?” The man pondered awhile as though weighing chances and then said: ‘*T don’t like to do it, but will if you put eps thousand to it, and life is cheap at that ” | ‘You don’t know him even,” “That don’t matter, he is human, and I know what it is to make a grave in the world.” “All right, Dll pay you the odd thou- sand, so come and get it the day after the deed,” “Tl come, for Ill need it to quiet my conscience with,” was the reply in a sad voice. CHAPTER XVIII A DEADLY POTSON. Dick Doom left the house of Carlotta Cameron with the same air he had assumed the day before. One seeing him would never have mis- taken him for other than he pretended to be. He looked to the life the western country- man, and he impersonated the character perfectly. ray ~ He had carried with him from the house a flask on which was a label bearing the ‘*Pure old Maryland Rye.” ‘The flask had a silver stopper screwed legend: on and looked like one in which only the finest whisky would feel at home. He put the flask in his pocket carefully | ey and going down the street several blocks turned off into an avenue where he knew he would catch a cable car. He then took the first car that came along and changed at the crossing to one that put him down near the headquarters of the Secret Service chief. He ae the chief just entering his office nd said: _ “Hello, mister, be you ther cap’n'o’ ther mS - © ‘ Fhe chief turned toward him with an im patient manner and said: ‘Yes; are you a crook whose guilty con- science has betrayed you into looking me ‘‘Maybe I is, and maybe I hain’t; but I knows a thing or two.” ‘What do you know?” ‘‘ What I knowis worth money to tell.” ‘* Who are you?” ** A greenhorn.” ** You look it.” ‘« Thankee.” ** Where are you from?” ‘‘From whar most greenies come from,” ‘* Where is that,” ‘**Injiany, yer greenie.” ‘*See here, my man, come into my office for I wish to talk with you.” “‘T’ll do it, for I wishes to talk with you.” The chief led the way into his inner office, glanced at the papers placed on his desk since his departure a couple of-hours before and said: ‘* Sit down a minute,” ‘Don’t keep me long, for my time is money.” The chief glanced quickly toward the pre- tended countryman, to6k a closer view, and then said sternly: ‘*See here, do you know Lintend to put you in jail?” ** What fer?” ‘‘ Because you are constantly fooling me, Dick Doom,”’ The detective laughed and replied: ‘You are getting so that you begin to penetrate my disguises, chief. ‘*T do not know whether I am or not.” ‘* Well, Iam here now as Saul Saunders.” **And who the mischief is Saul Saun- ders?” . ‘‘T don’t know, chief, gies I thought I would play Saul Saunders, a brother of Seth Saunders, to see what I could find out.” ‘*Ah! you are shadowing?” ‘* Yes, I have shadowed,” “Tell me of it, Dick.” ‘* Seth Saunders is safe.” “Yes, Isaw the chief of police half an hour ago.” ‘‘ And, Wirt Westley ?” “Ts all right,” ‘Can you spare the time to go with me now to see the chief of police?” ‘It is important?” ‘*T think so, sir,” “ Tf you think so it is, and I will go.” “Thank you, sir, whenever you are Apia ‘‘Tam ready now; but let me congratu- late you upon your most perfect make-up.” ‘Tt is not bad, forit has fooled as bright eyes as yours, sir.” ** Where?” ‘* Tl] tell you later, sir.” ‘Then let us be off.” The two left headquarters together and the chief having telephoned the chief of police that he was coming with a friend to see him, they found him in. He introduced Dick Doom as ‘‘ Mr. Saun- ders of Indiana,” and- the inspector shook Kg with the supposed countryman and said: . - “ How can I serve you, Mr. Saunders?” ‘‘T wants ter see ther best police surgeon you has.” The chief touched a bell and the surgeon was sent for. When he appeared the detective potred a liquor from the flask into a glass, and said: ‘Doctor, tell me what you make out of that liquor, when you analyze it?” . The doctor looked at the liquor, smelled it, tasted it, then dropped some acid from his case into it and said: ‘Tt is deadly poison.” “Ts there enough in this flask to kill a man, sir?” ’ a= ¢ «) - \ i. + ~~ ‘ . . ‘ — 2 - ) : , 4 ; . : . i . : My t ”s. ot a ‘ v 4 j * ‘ « > - 4 , a) -* a , ‘. ah. rh fj wT qo ty of ey ae ’ a pe ea tn pth a0 ' . Be gh i hy : is J its a fia: ee Sat repe y. TG sn PV PA ee oe MAPS M rect fee: , wh uw ; > ~ Pap tr s 4 [2 Ye wept & a . 5 , o~ “ ~~ J" i. th rigs . ct. wee a vas) a ht pe (Can O & ‘ e . » tig ; —_— “There is enough in this glass, just what you poured out, to kill a couple of men.” “Thank you, sir, I thought that there was.” ‘“Where did you get that poison, my man?” ‘Tt was “oe to me, sir.” ‘To drink yourself?” ‘*Oh, no, to give to another to drink.” ‘You did not do it, I hope?” ‘‘Oh, no, sir, but I wish to have the credit of having done so.” ‘* What do you mean?” ‘‘T mean that I wish the chief of police to give out the report that the prisoner, Wirt Westley, in some way got hold of some ison, and, expecting to hang, drank it with atal results.” ‘*But such is not the case.” ‘‘ Very true, sir, but it must appear so,” said Dick Doom in his determined way, CHAPTER XIX. ) THE FERRET WINS. THE chief of police and the surgeon were really startled at the bold proposition of the supposed countryman, while seeing their surprise the chief of the Secret Service Bureau laughed and said: ‘‘ Well, he has done you as he did me. ‘*Do you not know him, chief?” ‘‘T do not remember him,” said the chief of police in a puzzled way, “Tt is Dick Doom.” ‘ “The devil!” ‘Oh no, chief, I am not as bad as that,” | laughed the detective. “Well, Mr. Doom, what are you up to now?” | ‘‘T wished to get your surgeon’s opinion about this beverage, sir, and as I am con- vinced, and you also, that it is a deadly poison in this flask, I wish to ask you to do me a favor.” ‘Out with it, Doom.” Dick Doom tossed a roll of bills on the desk and said: ‘‘-You will find there five hundred dollars, chief, a sum given me as an advance bribe for taking human life.” ** Ah! this looks serious.” * It is serious,” * Who gave it to you?” ‘* Just now that is a secret, sir, but I re- ceived that money as an earnest of twenty- five hundred more that would be paid me when I have done my work,” ‘What work is that?” . pied 08 | | a . ‘“‘Who?” asked the chief in utter amaze- ment. ‘A prisoner in your keeping, sir.” ** Who is it?” | es re renegade lawyer, Wirt Westley.” ; < h!” ‘‘T wish to ask you to permit me to see him, sir, for I desire to play a game upon him, but with your knowledge.” | ‘All right, you have my permission.” _ “‘T desire to let it be known, sir, that his brother is coming to see him, and have him so told, for he will feel assured that it is some plan of those who wish to rescue him,” ** All right, Mr. Doom.” ‘When I have gleaned from him all the information that I can, I will show him m flask, tell him the truth as to who his foe is, and see what more he will let be known un- der the influence of the danger that will naturally overwhelm him.” ‘‘- You are shrewd, indeed, Dick Doom.” ‘‘T think I see my way clear, sir, to get some valuable information from the man.’ ‘Command me all you desire, Doom.” “Thank you, sir, I felt sure that would give me your aid, but, I have toask.” 1s ‘‘Well, out with it.” | : ‘«T wish you to let the papers of to-morrow morning get hold of the fact that Wirt Westley committed suicide.” : . ’ - ‘ sa. ee LA. ~.# b] ba 4 : et PY : : ) av. 7™ > es 7 te Mate ; 7 “* Paz =. % ore \ “2 ? “y oe wn bh ; oq ' 7 : way at F ad 7 ait. 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