Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 857 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

a - ieo ‘e - ry . Y ae <4 : “ ‘bers street and pulled the signal-rope for the train to go ahead. After this, he went for- ward to talk with the guard ahead, and the two men were left alone on the platform, The observant boy saw Budge Farrel peer after the guard and then glance into both cars searchingly. He discerned nothing but a boy who had his hat pulled over his eyes and was nodding drowsily. Allat once, with the motion of a cat, the city ruffian turned on his companion. ‘* So yer want to find Black Dirk! Well, jest hop down inter der street an’ find him!” And the ruffian crook caught up. the smaller man and flung him bodily over the iron gate! CHAPTER II. THEY SEE THEIR MAN, From his position within the car, Spotter Bob saw it all, but the movement of the thug bad been so swift that the watchful lad did not divine his purpose until he had lifted the pale-faced man and held him suspended over the street, to be cast down into which ameant terrible injuries or certain death. ‘* Hey, you skunk!” Bob leaped to his feet, uttering the cry. He saw the small man clutch at the gate with his hands and obtain a hold toat was insecure but supported him for the moment, Then Budge Farrel lifted his foot to bring the heel of his heavy shoe down on the fin- gers of the unfortunate human being who was clinging fast for dear life. The thug did not seem to hear Bob’s cry, but he felt Bob’s fist in a jiffy. ‘Take that, you nfurderin’ whelp! Right smack in the kisser—and down you go!” The boy’s hard fist caught Budge fairly in the mouth, and the big ruffian actually went down. His fall, to tell the truth, was caused by the fact that he had one foot uplifted, being on the point of crushing the clinging fingers of the imperiled man when he was struck by the young fakir, Down came his foot, and he placed it fairly between the platforms of the two cars. Thus, finding no support, he was overthrown, Bob didn’t give Budgea second look, but turned to repder assistance to the man who was clinging desperately to the iron gate, liable to fall to his death at any instant, ‘‘Your hand! That’s it! Now—up you come!” Before the stricken thug could struggle to his feet, the silent man of the pale faee was . climbing back over the iron gate. And there was a look on his face that literally made Budge Farrel tremble. The big ruffian looked around for some mode of escape, for he saw the deadly pur- pee of the man he had tried.to kill blazing n that man’s eyes. | The train was just pulling into the Frank- lin street station, and the guard who had gone forward was hurrying back to his post. Budge did not wait for him to open the ate, but, with one swing, he sprung over it, struck the platform and fled for his life. The silent man’s hand had gone to his hip and back again. It held a revolver, and he half lifted it, as if intending to take a shot at the escaping villain, A moment he stood thus; then, slowly shaking his head, he lowered the weapon and restored it to his pocket, his manner saying as plainly as words that he would wait till he met his man again. * Well, old socks, ye got off easy that time,” exclaimed the boy spotter, as Farrel rushed past the ticket-chopper and disap- peared at the head of the stairs leading to the street. ‘‘What’s the matter here?” blustered the uard, ‘‘ What’s this flourishing weapons or?” . ‘““Stay at yer post an’ you'll know next time,” saucily replied Bob. ‘‘What’s that? Hang. your impudence! Spotter Bob in New York, — The irate guard would have seized the lad, but he felt a grip on his arm, and the steady eyes of the silent man looked into his and caused him to change his mind, although oot © word was spoken. He snapped open one gate and closed it again with a slam, at the same time giving the signal-rope a snatch- ing jerk. n the mean time the silent man had turned to the boy and grasped his hand dedi while he odked searchingly and gratefully into Bob’s face. He still declined to speak, if such a thing were possible, but that look ‘as enough to show his feelings fully. ‘Oh, ‘twasn’t nothin’!”’ stammered the young fakir, ‘‘I’d ’a’ done it fer any cove what was jumped in such measly style bya bigger chap. I know Budge Parcel fer a rascal, an’ it’s my delight to knock out ras- cals; that’s why they call me the Rogue- Crusher, I’m a sort of private detective on my own hook, Mebbe bimeby when I do something big, Byrnes’ll hear of me an’ give mea posish on the foree—who knows?” The silent stranger nodded his head, as if he hoped sucha thing might happen. He did not smile at the boy; in fact, his face seemed to continually remain grave and placid. His eyes talked, if the metaphor is allowable, They entered the car together and sat down side by side. The man took out a pad and pencil, after which he wrote the question: ‘* What is your name?” The boy promptly replied ‘** Bob Braddock,” ‘* Belong in New York?” wrote the man. ‘“No; Phillydelfy.” ‘Been here long?” ‘Two weeks,” ** Know the town?” ‘* From start to finish.” ‘‘]’m a stranger,” wrote the singular man, ‘“‘Came here from Idaho, Out there the call me Silent Dave. I don’t know muc about New York, and I want to get some- body to pilot me around. I’ll pay well. Take the job?” ane boy hesitated a moment before he re- lied: * ay Mebbe so, I’m here myself, on business —lookin’ fer my sister. She runerway from home to go on the stage, an’ she’s somewhere in this town. If I kin be looking for her at the same time, mebbe I’ll show ye the ropes, stranger,” ‘“It can be done, I’m looking fora man known in Idaho as Black Dirk. Farrel said he was a private detective and would find my man.” . ‘*Him_a private detective! Why, I know- ed him in Phillydelfy, an’ he was sent up once, there! He’s a crook, Why don’t you call on the reg’lars?” ‘Don’t want them involved. I have a score to settle with this Black Dirk that is not covered by law. We'll settle it hand-to- hand,” ‘I take it this Budge knows the cove you're lcokin' fer, else he’d never tried to give ye the dump. An’ Budge knows my man, too,” The Silent Man from’ Idaho looked at his companion inquiringly, and Bob went on: ‘‘Saw them tergether once, That’s why I follered Budge Farrel thiseve. Iwas hopin’ he’d take me to my man,” ‘‘T thought you were looking for your sis- ter?” ‘*So Il be, but I saw her drivin’ in the Park with a man one day, and now J want to find him. She hain’t on ther stage. so I’d like to know jest what she isdoin’, Farrel is a out- and-in crook, an’ the man I saw her with is chummy with Farrel, so that looks like he is crooked too. I’m afraid Jess isin trouble. When she run away, the governor told her never to come back any more; but, now that he’s dead, mother is dyin’ to see her. She left a good nice feller, too; an’ Frank Anson has been waitin’ for her to come home. He’s | white, an’ she’ll never git a better, 3 What fools some girls be!” The man nodded, asif he fully agreed, and then he wrote; ‘Pll pay you two dollars a day or more to show me around, and you look for your manatthesametime, Board at my expense. Does it go?” | After a few moments of thought, Bob nodded, ‘‘T reckon that’s all right. IT’ll stan’ as much show as I do now, an’ I’m sure of steady pay. I hev to send money to mo ther, you know, fer we're down-to-bedrock poor. Father had a boodle oncet, but he lost it in some kind of a deal, Jess was al- ways great on diamonds an’ dress, an’ that was what took her “off to New York. Fa- ther’d never take her back after that. Since I came here, I was up in Central Park one day, an’ I saw a stylish trap whirling along with the other turnouts, eae was in it, an’ she was togged fit to see the queen. There was a big man with a black mustache beside her, an’ that’s the man I’m lookin’ fer. She didn’t see me, an’ when I tried to overtake the carriuge, a Sparrow cop pulled me up, so they got erway,” ‘* We'll find her. Help me, and I'll help you. We’llforma combine. What say?” ‘Well, 1 kinder like you, if you don’t talk a great heap, an’ I reckon it goes.” Again the hands of the man and boy met. The Twenty-third street station was just passed and Bob was looking down into the street when he gave a cry: *¢ There he is |” The Silent Man glanced out instantly, and his eyes fell on the very man at whom the boy was looking—a man who was sitting in a bootblack’s chair, smoking a cigar, while his patent leathers were being oiled. He was a finely-built fellow with a heavy black mustache, and his clothes were of the very finest quality, as revealed in the white light of the incandescent lamp above his head. ‘«That’s my man!” cried Bob. “That’s Black Dirk!” hastily scribbled the Man from ’Wayback. And then he arose to his feet to get off at the Twentieth-cighth street station. His eyes were blazing and his lips moving, but he spoke not a word. CHAPTER ITI. FROM BROADWAY TO TRAINOR’S, THEY lost not a moment in leaving the. train at Twentieth-cighth street, and hurried down the stairs. The teeth of the Silent Man were set now, and twice he put his hand back to his hip-pocket, as if to make sure his revolver was there. Down Sixth avenue they went. ‘“ What do you mean to do, mister?” asked Bob, in alarm, ‘‘ Are yer goin’ to shoot?” Silent Dave did not appear to hear the niet for he made no motion or reply. lis eyes were fixed straight ahead for the corner where he had seen Black Dirk sitting in the bootblack’s chair, , The corner was reached; but, the chair was empty! An inarticulate sound—a groan—that in- dicated disappointment came from the speechless man's lips. He turned helplessly to Bob. The boy knew what the man wanted, ana so caught the negro bootblack by the shoulder saying: ‘The last feller what you shined ’em up fer—where’d he go? Speak lively! Here’s a dime. Which way?” The darky was frightened at first, by the manner in which the words were fired at him, but he quickly recovered his com- posure, ‘‘ Big ma-a-n?” he questioned. ‘* Yes, yes!” ‘* Silk hat?” ‘* Yes.” se * >. KS. Ci cee As Uglied ~~ » Let Bani om - ts : - ee ee