Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 854 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

™ i _——— = - c « r “ @ ee _—, ° alt a = a a ’ o — 3 “iy - =", Seis) Wigs « 7 Ls at ey Te, he oo « « « a ll ed 7. as a ' ae o 4 we a , F _ on % 9 Oo & pe neet = ’ 4 é ae pee a a Sete oe ere at heel aA . - “ -*) 5 > +. [ 7 . - = 8 Uncle Sam’s Detective in Chicago. ye a’ > Me - - wae sitiiten-~? aa a 4 ~ * an P ; - ‘ nie " , 4 4 5 ER RO * POO a .- 4 ' ot & ‘‘T can, and do.” “Then go and put on a dark dress and hat, and in your pockets put whatever you ma need for traveling. You must go to Chi- cago with me, and we shall go on that train that will pass through here in about a quar- ter of an hour—if it is on time.” The girl did not make any reply, save a nod of acquiescence, and disappeared into an inner room, ‘‘Good! That’s the style of girl I ad- mire,” observed the detective, half aloud. ** Even when I told her she must put all her baggage into her pockets, she wasn’t phazed a bit. Some girls would want to take a trunk as high as a house, and would spend a may or two packing it. Now for that train.” Ie went out to the railroad and looked in the direction of the east. There was a‘level stretch of track for miles at this point, and he knew that he would be able tosee the train for at least ten minutes before it reached the Sangviile station, It was not in sight yet, and running back to the store, he seized a large, red shawl that he noticed hanging on a line at the end of the counter, Sam Stokes watching him with open mouth, but not considering it wise to hazard any remark, after his experience of the strength and activity of the detective. Ralph tied the shawl to a broom that he took from a number evidently there for sale, and, with a piece of a string used for tying up parcels, fastened the shawl to the broom, so that it made a very respectable flag. Then he hastened back to the railroad track, and placed his ear on one of the rails. ‘““Ah! There she comes! I can hear her, although she’s not insight yet. I shall have to hurry!” muttered the detective. ‘* Sam!” Sam Stokes had followed him to the track, and answered at once with a respectful: *¢ Sir!” ‘‘Help me carry this old tree to the track,” directed the detective, pointing to a small apple-tree that had been blown down or struck by lightning, and that was lying close to the track. It was not very heavy, but its limbs spread in all directions, and it would make a formidable-appearing obstruc- tion on a railroad. The detective knew that the engineer would, see it in plenty of time, ' even if he were not warned by the red flag. ‘You are not going ter wreck the train, are yer?” asked Sam. » ‘You are talking too much again, Sam,” remarked the detective, significantly. ‘‘ Catch hold of that tree.” Sam obeyed, and the tree was soon de- posited on the track, but on the side going east, so that, if by any chance, the train roe not stopped in time, it would not be in- ured, ? eer There is nothing coming along from the west about this time, is there Sam?” asked Ralph. ‘No. Not till the evening.” ‘‘ All right, then. Go into the house, and tell Miss Lucy to be ready to come right ayey: The train is in sight.” : ‘‘Tam here,” spoke Lucy, herself, as she appeared at the side of detective, in a neat dark-blue costume, carrying an umbrella and a small sachel, - The detective glanced at her admiringly, but did not speak, as he picked up his dan- Sl Sa and ran down ‘the track toward e approaching train, as fast as possible. ‘‘Confound that engineer! Can’t he see this signal?” muttered Ralph, as he swung the red shawl to and fro. ‘‘I hope the sun doesn't blind him. Ishould think he could see this red shawl ten miles away, almost.” The expres train came thundering along, and Ralph began to be afraid that the train really would not stop. - **Perhaps he can see that that tree is on the other track, and doesn’t care a durn!” thought the BR Headquarters detective. Just as Ralph had almost made up his mind that this was the case, he heard the squeaking and hissing of the Westinghouse air-brakes, as the engine emitted several loud whistles and the grinding of the wheels gave token that the brakes were doing their work, and that the train would soon be stopped. Ralph threw down his broom and red shawl, and ran toward Lucy. ‘‘Jump aboard as soon as it stops,” he said, hurriedly. ‘‘ Don’t take any notice of the train hands. I'll fix the conductor.” ‘* Very well,” There was no excitement to be discerned in either the manner or tone of the girl, as she stood ready to obey implicitly the directions of the detective. Just as the engine reached the spot where Ralph had thrown down the shawl, and within twenty yards of the tree on the track, the train came to a standstill. The wheels had not stopped turning, when the conductor, a stout, choleric man, with a red face, sprung from the baggage- car, next to the engine, and demanded what in thunderall this meant, ‘* Here, Dan! Will!’ he yelled to two of his train hands, ‘‘ come and take this fellow, and put him in the baggage cai’. THe’s some infernal tramp, I suppose. But he can’t stop my train and not pay forit. Ill send him to State Prison for twenty years! If I don’t V'll be—” ‘Hold on, there!” interrupted Raiph, coolly. ‘* Simmer down!” There was something in the tone of the young man that told he was of some impor- tance, andthe brakeman and baggage-man, who had been advancing upon him, stopped involuntarily. But the conductor was so indignant at being told to ‘‘simmer down,” and by a mere boy, too, that he became redder than ever, and Ralph wasafraid ofapoplexy. So he hastened to relieve the strain on the con- ductor’s mind, by showing him that he had authority to stop his train. Throwing back his coat, he showed a small silver button of peculiar shape, and then, as he saw that the conductor had cooled off considerably, he drew from his pocket a paper signed by the superintendent of this division of the road, which was one of a number of papers that Ready Ralph always took care to have with him, in case of necessity. The conductor glanced at the paper— which had much more weight with him than the badge, by the way, and his manner changed. He held out his hand to the de- tective, and Ralph, with a smile, took it and shook it. heartily. ‘¢ You'll excuse me, I know, Mr. Rapier,” said the conductor. different. But I was just trying to make up ten minutes we lost on account of a little freight wreck down the road, and you know how aman feels,” | The detective nodded, and jumped aboard the nearest coach to make his way to Lucy, who was sitting quietly waiting for him, and who had: been watching the controversy be- tween the conductor and Ralph with amused interest. | . ** All aboard!” cried the conductor, as he signaled the engineer to go on, and Lucy and Ready Ralph were on their way to Chicago to look after Hiram Hawkins and frustrate the plans of Smasher Jim, whatever they might be, | —_———Eeeeeee CHAPTER VI. A PLUNGE TO DEATH. Tue big Ferris wheel was making its last turn for the night. The thousands of visi- tors to the World’s Fair on that day were moving ina steady stream toward the exit gates of Jackson Park, but there were enough left ever now to have filled every car of the great wheel many times over. Among those who took a seat in a car of the wheel to enjoy the prospect of Chicago at ‘ ... =”. * ‘ - Pe ” at ae Ct a F * 2 me m --¢ —— oo ‘*Of course, this is } night were a countrified-looking man and a younger man, with big whiskers, in the garb of a sailor. The twomen were Hiram Haw- kins, the postmaster, and Detective Ralph Rapier. The detective wanted to get Hiram away from the men that he was confident were shadowing .them, at the command. of Smasher Jim, and he suddenly bethought him that ifhe could get into one of these cars it would be impossible for the ‘‘shad- ow,” whoever he might be, to follow them without his identity being revealed. Ready Ralph had seen the faces of all the men in the counterfeiters’ den, and he was positive that he would know any of them who might come within reach of him. The car was, nearly full. Only three of the revolving chairs had not yet been occu- pied, and there were a score of people on the platform anxious to get on the car. At this moment, an eager, worried-look- ing man, whom Ralph recognized as the superintendent of the movements of the wheel, came into the car and spoke hurried- ly toa man who sat next to the detective,’ and who the detective found, from the con- versation, was also connected with the wheel, in some way. “There isa bolt out at the top of the tower on the south side,” the new-comer was saying, ‘and I want to get it fixed right away.” W hy?” asked the other, coolly. ‘* What difference doesit make? You might take a hundred bolts out up there, and it would not make any appreciable difference in the strength of the wheel. Let it stay out. It isn’t hurting anything.”’ ‘No. I want it fixed. I pride myself on this wheel being perfect in every respect, and I couldn’t sleep comfortably to-night if I knew that bolt was out of place.” ‘‘You are too particular.” ‘Maybe. But, that’s my way. The trouble is there isn’t anybody around that can do it. All the workmen have gone home, and there is no way of getting up there except by climbing, and it takes a mighty good ‘ rigger“ to climb one hundred and forty feet. I would give twenty dol- lars to get that bolt put in place to-night.” “Tm your man,” interrupted Ralph. ‘‘I could not help hearing what you were say- ing. I will go up there and fix the bolt, if you will tell me what to do,” The worried-looking man took in Ralph from head to foot, and was evidently satis- fied with his inspection. ‘It will be worth twenty dollars if you can do it.” ‘‘T' can do it,” answered Ready Ralph, with a quiet confidence that strengthened the good impression he had already made. ‘* Just tell me what I am to do when I get up there, and you can rest assured it shall be done.” ‘‘Well, there is a bolt worked loose, It is only a small one, but I don't like anything to be out of*place. I saw it through my field-glass before it got dark, but it slipped my memory till just now in the rush of business. You can take this hammer and give it three or four strokes, and it will be all right.” ) The worried-looking man showed Ralph a heavy hammer that he carried in his left hand, and the detective took it in his hand, as he arose from his chair to go out of the car, | ‘Tt takes twenty minutes for the wheel to o around,” he whispered to the postmaster. ‘You stay in the car, andI guess I'll be down by the time you have made the trip. If 1am not, wait below at the platform for me.” | Ralph Rapier stepped out of the car, and as he did so a tall man, with a sandy mus- tache, brushed past him, in entering the car, taking a seat in one of the three vacant. Hiram, chairs already referred to, behind ‘. 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