Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 854 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

mass of : kuow that? 12 his words with his revolver, pointed at Rufe’s head. Rufe stopped and looked up. ‘“You give me away to Smasher Jim or any of the gang, and l’ll hang you,” went on Ralph. *‘ But, if you will go back on the gang, I'll get mercy for you in court, and it will be a good thing for you all around.” ‘‘Phwat do you mean?” “ Only that Smasher Jim is in my power, and that lam going to break up his gang right now. I wanted to get conclusive evi- dence, and now I have it You are right. I am Ralph Rapier, Uncle Sam’s Secret Ser- vice Detective, and I am ‘always on deck.’” Rufe Rourke stood on his thin rod of steel, below the detective, and looked up at him curiously, | ‘‘Do you know where Smasher Jim is now?’ he asked. The detective pointed to the car in which Smasher Jim sat, that had passed over the top, and was now slowly descending on the otber side, Smasher having come over to an- other window, so that he could still watch the proceedings of the detective and Rufe. “There he is,” “Be gob. He’sa smart young ’un. Guess Ord better humor him,” muttered Rufe. Adding, aloud: ‘‘ Come down to the ground, an’ Oi’ll make a bargain wid yez. Oi can’t afford to run with Smasher an’ the gang any longer, I can see.” “You'll peach on the crowd, then, will you?” asked the detective. ‘* Oi wull thot.” ‘All right. Go down ahead of me, and I'l! follow. We’ll settle the details when we get down.” Rufe nodded, and began moving down- ward swiftly, followed no less swiftly by the detective. There was a curious smile on Ready Ralph’s countenance, as he paused for a moment to let Rufe get clear of the steel tower before he followed him to the ground, and he muttered, significantly: ‘*[ wonder whether that fellow really be- lieves that [ trust him, lf he would betray his associates without a moment’s hesitation, ae would he do with me if I trusted ulm?” CHAPTER IX, DETECTIVE RALPH TO THE RESCUE. ‘WHERE is Hiram, Il wonder?” said Ralph, involuntarily as he looked around him, ‘* And Smasher Jim?” added Rufe. ‘‘ Everybody is getting out now,” observ- ed the wheelsuperintendent. ‘‘ If you mean your friends that were in the car, 1 guess they have gone with the crowd.” “You bet that Smasher Jim’s smart,” re- marked Rufe, with a wink at the detective that made Ralph feel inclined to give him one in the chin that would have made his teeth rattle. ‘‘Not too smart. Just smart enough to get himself into trouble,” murmured the de- tective. ‘*Phwere are we going?’ asked Rufe ‘when the two had taken their seats in a Coft- tage Grove avenue cable car, and were bowl- ing along toward the heart of the city. ‘To Smasher Jim’s,” was the detective’s short reply. Ralph had hardly cast his eye across the people, bobbing and swaying out with every motion of the car, as the gripman took off and put on his grip, when his eye met that of the very man about whom os was ops sak ge tis Jim! | As the detective caught sight of the coun- terfeiter, a slight movement on the part of Rufe Rourke told him that he, too, had noticed Smasher. | | ‘You see him, then?” whispered Ralph, in Rourke’s ear, Rufe started. How did this young man . . ee eee CE 2 ee... SL LL... Bae ea a i l * ‘* Faith, Oi c’u’dn’t help seein’ him, when he turned the eyesav him roight on me,” grumbled Rufe, in an aggrieved tone, as if he considered the detective was suspicious of him without cause. The car rumbled on, letting off a few of its passengers at a time, but keeping most of them until it arrived at its terminus at State street, When it discharged its load at that impor- tant thoroughfare, the detective tried to keep Smasher Jimin his eye, but the attempt wasa futile one. In the large crowd he dis- appeared as easily as if he had been swal- lowed up by the earth. ‘* What did yez say?” The question came from: Rufe, and the de- tective started, for he did not know that he had uttered a sound, ‘* What did I say?” he repeated. ‘‘Nothing, ez Oi know,” said Rufe. ‘‘ But, faith Oi tought yez moight say some- thing.” ‘Follow me,” was the detective’s brief command. ‘*Oi wull that ” Ralph struck westward at a good round pace, and made his way over the Madison street bridge to that network of streets on the west side of the river, in the heart of which was situated the counterfeiter’s den. ‘* Rufe?” ‘*Phwell?” ‘*We are near the crib.” ‘Oi know it.” ‘‘Well, I have something to say to you, and it is this: I have a six-shooter ready to my hand, and ifI see the least sign of treach- ery on your part to-night, [ll shoot you down likeadog. You understand?” ‘Oi do thot.” The detective had had his eye on the door of the house while talking, and, although it was very dark at that spot, he was sure that he had seen twe people go into the house, and that one, the taller of the two, had ex- hibited some reluctance, but had been drag: ged in by his companion, Cautiously the detective stole along in the direction of Mother Halket’s house, with Rufe by his side or just behind, * me ter the front door?’ asked Rufe. “e O. ”? Next to Mother Halket’s house was an- other house very much like her own, but next to that was a tall brick building in which various light manufactures were car- ried on. Onthe ground floor was a candy warehouse, and below the level of the street was the mae where candy was manufac- tured, and where, in the busy season. a large number of girls were employed daily. At this time of night everything was closed, and the girls were all at home and in bed. At the side of the house up a blind alley, that was shut off from the street by a wooden gate, easily opened from the out. side, was a door leading into the cellar. This door was a solid affair, that had no ap lock, and was presumably bolted in- side. Ready Ralph went into the alley and laid his hand against the solid wooden door, looking around ta make sure that Rufe was by his side, ‘Who taught yez thesacret av this dure?” asked Rufe. 7 ‘‘ Who said there was a secret?” was the quick response of the detective. “Oh, it ain't no use thryin’ ter fool yez. You know all about it,” grinned Rufe, in a propitiatory manner. ‘ But Oi didn’t know ez ye got in this way ter-night, an’ Oi’ll bet a dollar Smasher Jim doesn’t know it, ayther.” Whatever the’ secret of opening this wooden door might be, it is certain that Ready Ralph possessed it, for it responded to his touch, and he had pulled Rufe inside and shut the door again before that in- dividual realized what had happened. =4% en 1° v er .. fave “% ae ae 2 2 . : ¥, f ~~ > oe 71 49S SRN >» jm eee, ete ob Pe Uncle Sam’s Detective in Chicago. ~ « ¥ 7 H.? ¥ ~~ Ralph struck a match and lighted a gas jet, and then deliberately looked around him. The room in which the two found them- selves was an ordinary cellar of rather small dimensions that was evidently used by the candy manufacturer as a sort of store-room, for there were two or three wide wooden tubs, one containing chocolate in paste form, another cream, and still another a pink com- position, that would in due time take the form of candy, and delight the younger portion of World’s Fair visitors. The detective put his finger into the cream and sucked it reflectively for a few moments as he appeared to be making up his mind as to his next move. Ready Ralph took a bunch of keys from his pocket and opened an innocent-looking door that might have belonged to a clothes closet, but that really revealed a long dark hall, running one could not see where. The detective made Rufe goin front of him now, and, turning off the gas jet that he had lighted in the candy-maker’s room, en- teréd the hall and locked the door after him. ‘*Go ahead, Rufe. You know the way.” ‘*Oi do thot,” was the only answer of the other, as ke went ahead through the dark- ness, With the detective at his heels, holding his six-shooter in his hand, ready for instant action, although Rufe Rourke did not know it. Fortunately for Rufe, he did not make any attempt to betray his companion, and at Jast they reached the ladder leading up to the hallway, which, as will be remembered, was the entrance to the subterranean portion of Mother Halket’s boarding house. The detective mounted the ladder, and, entering the recess behind the hall-rack, pushed it away a little, so that he could see what was going on, if anything. No sooner had he taken in what was being done in the front parlor, of which he had a full view from the small crevice by the side of the rack, than he forgot all prudence, and, pushing open the decor of his hiding-place with such force as to smash the plate glass mirror, leaped out and threw himself with all his force at Smasher Jim. At the same moment Lucy Hawkins threw her arms around his neck, and, with a heart- rending sob, cried: ‘Oh, Ralph, they have killed my father!” CHAPTER X. A LIVELY TIME FOR DETECTIVE RALPH, SMASHER Jim recovered himself immedi- ately. He was’ so much bigger than the young detective that he had not been serious- ly disturbed by the unceremonious way in which Ralph had dashed against him, So, when Lucy clasped the detective around his neck and had him still more at a disad- vantage, Smasher Jim caught Ralph by the neck and threw him across the room, where Mother Halket seized bim with one hand and Lucy by the other, and held them so firmly that neither could move. “ Oi’ll get you a poker,” put in the voice of Rufe Rourke, as that worthy stepped out of the opening behind the mirror, and stood regarding the detective, held so firmly by Mother Halket. ‘‘Don't be a fool, Rufe,” said Smasher. Then, seeing Rufe’s mouth open asif he were in deadly fright, he added: ‘* Why, what’s the matter with the fellow? What are you looking at—a ghost?” But Rufe urke did not answer, | eyes were fixed upon those of Ralph Rapier, who was conveying to bim, in unmistakable, His . though silent language, that it would not be — safe for him to proceed any further. . ‘‘Oi’m all right, Smasher,” gasped Rufe, ina low voice, as he turned his face away from the detective. ‘‘Let them go Halket,” said ‘* They are all right now.” 3 pe : : ' . . qi- 3 « y ; rie ; - 2 gtr —_ by at ¢ Bid . J) rv ™ ly » F Com yy _»? m0 a PP ses - 3 ~ ee TITS a Pe P P= » ay Smasher, | . c ae ¥ any ‘ay ‘ Pp ted, 4 aeiqire og. - sf SF P - . * >a »4 m =et id el mS ‘ a 7 + | ; er 1 ‘az J - x s i? "Dae [) a . o o- ‘oa? ?. fag ; he — ) -~ _e Bs _—— >