Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 857 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

- ey aS 8 a, Z # NS. S, 44 fee - oi ed AO ee “to the place where he had overheard the ras- nh - als’ schemes. a, ». “ieee » AA: i ot Dons oe *, \ ad a J bh, Ve , Oy ‘a , AS a : us r, i : hit? <> . ¢ ; ay “f | . jv ° ' “Al “a> ‘ * - os * J tw : a) 7 . \ None too soon. Farrel kicked out again, but failed to hit Bob’s head by less than an inch. Then the ruffian pushed back from the table to peer underneath. Fortunately, a deep shadow lay beneath the table, and Budge did not catch more than a glimpse of Bob’s head as it disap- peared between the tubs. ‘* What was it?’ questioned Black Dirk, looking downward in a vain attempt to see anything at all. “A dog,” replied Budge, who had mis- taken the vanishing head for a cur. Both men breathed with relief. As for Bob, he could scarcely realize he had escaped detection thus easily, and he re- mained crouching outside the line of shrub trees, his heart pounding violently in his breast. As he lingered there, he heard Budge say: ** How's der little fairy on Twenth-fourth street? Thought you were goin’ ter take a feller round ?” ‘“*She’s all right,” replied Dirk; ‘‘ only she’s a terrible spit-fire. [I don’t believe she’d take to you for a cent, Farrel.” ‘*T’ought youse wanted ter give her de shake?” ‘Sol do, but it is not an easy thing. I’m in deep there. Well, this town is get- ting pretty hot for me, anyway, and I'll have to skip directly.” Bob saw a policeman approaching, and, ‘after pretending to be searching for a “‘ butt,” he straightened up and sauntered away. Not far. He paused where he could watch the shrubs and see the men when they left the place, taking care that he was where Ere of them would be liable to observe im, In about ten minutes, the two men came out upon the sidewalk. They did not pause to ulter any farewells, but separated at once, There was a feeling of elation and eager- ness in Bob's heart, for something seemed to tell him his time was near at hand. He promptly started to shadow the chief rascal of the two. Black Dirk sauntered along the avenue, smoking his black cigar, until he came to ‘Twenty-fourth street, into which he turned. Spotter Bob was not far away. The boy little realized he was also being followed, but such was the case. Budge Farrel did not know exactly where Dirk kept the ‘‘fairy” of whom he had spoken, and thereupon decided to dog the man to his destination. It did not take him long to find out the young fakir was also on the ‘scent. ‘* Dash me eyes!” grated the thug, peer- ‘ing keenly at the lad. ‘‘ Dat’s der same kid! He turns up ev’rywhere. Wonder what he’s at now?” He quickly discovered that the young shadower was ‘tracking Black Dirk, and that fairly aroused the ruftian’s rage. “Tf dat kid ain’t put out of der way, he’s goin’ ter do us hurt,” muttered the ex-con- vict. ‘‘]’ll jest have to give him a tap on de knob,” He was very cautious in following Bob, knowing he would slip up if the lad took the alarm, In the mean time, the young shadow was aying strict. attention to Black Dirk, for he elt that everything depended on his success that night. Something made him understand | the man would lead him to his sister then, and the opportunity of tracking him thus again might never occur. ‘‘Only one more day of grace before I | Bae, have to put Silent Dave on,” was his mental 7 ; “* a : a” ‘*T don’t think I’ll need that extra day. Pm pretty sure to find Jessie this remark. rt - . ie 7 ‘ “hy > Pay ; ; : ae“ wat’ Ss Ui on ee ' P ’ * f, eal t s > ‘ ae o i ‘ca et ems ; \ war (wn cA 49 ar" Wie Iu +e a ® r Fy) SP REE Oh fo SN ” a ~ We * > P, Spotter Bob in New York. At length Dirk flung away the butt of his cigar and ascended the steps of a flat-house. He glanced around as he did so, but he only saw a boy slouching along with his hands in his pockets and his hat over his eyes, while further down a drunken man was taking nearly the whole sidewalk. The boy was Bob, and the drunken man was Budge Farrel, who was never soberer in all his life. | Bob was directly opposite the door of the house when Dirk rung a bell, and thus the shrewd young shadower was able to see which button was pushed, ‘First floor, right,” flashed through Bob's head. There was a click at the door, which swung open, and then the man walked in and disappeared, ‘*Holed!” softly cried the boy, Cwtting a pigeon’s wing on the sidewalk, ‘** How slick!” The man who appeared to be {Intoxicated reeled up and staggered against the lad. ‘Luff, ye lubber!” exclaimed Bob, good- naturedly. ‘‘You’re on the wrong tack. Trim up, get into the wind and steer straight ahead. You've run down enough schooners for one night,” Then, all xt once, the man straightened up and grabbed the boy and snarled: ‘Tl fix yer dis time!” ‘““Taken so by surprise, Bob didn’t have time to dodge the blow that was aimed at his head. He was struck fairly with something heavy, and he dropped limp and motionless in the grasp of the thug. ‘*Dat’s der time I did him!” chuckled the brute. ‘One crack was enough.” He shook the lad, but the limp figure did not stir. Bob’s eyes ,were closed, and he did not seem to breathe. ‘* Well, I must ’a’ hit him a folly one! He’s white as a stiff, Got it right close ter de temple. Hope I didn't split his skull, Don’t want him ter croak on my account, though I did feel like givin’ him a good biff. Dished if he don’t look like he had croaked!” Budge glanced rervously around to see if he was observed, and then he carried the un- conscious lad from the front of the house to a& spot where the light was not so bright. There he shook Bob roughly, saying; ‘“Come, come! Don’t try ter play dat on me! I know yer game.” But still the boy did not stir, All at once, Budge noticed a dark stain that was creeping down the side of the lad’s face. He started, touched it and drew back with a growl. ‘* Tt’s blood!” Yes; it was blood, and the brutal thug be- gan to be alarmed lest he had killed Bob with one blow. Up and down the street he glanced, and a smothered curse broke from his Hips as he saw a policeman slowly ap- proaching. beneath a distant street lamp. Flinging the motionless body of the un- conscious boy up against the base of the iron fence, Farrel hastened from the spot. If the policeman had walked straight along, he must have seen the luckless lad, but his attention was attracted across the street, and he went over, So it came about that the victim of Farrel’s brutality lay un- noticed by the fence. Several persons passed, but Bob was in the shadow, and, if they saw him at all, they took him for a drunken per- son. For almost thirty minutes Bob lay there, and then he opened his eyes and stirred, ut- tering agroan. He was dazed, but he finally sat up, muttering: **Was it a house that fellonme? Feels like my nut is cracked wide open. What did happen?” It took him some minutes to gather his wits, and even then he was like a person with his mind befogged. He knew tip had : we ® i. —— + MO or —-C rh O>a—=WnmnvmmoOooomnrn ease a ee eee sr +; eer’ 0WWVW1l« a809090905 0. Mg © 9 it was all a part of Black Dirk’s plan to get him out of the way. “But I ain’t dead—not much!” came through his clinched teeth, ashe drew him- self to his feet with the assistance of the iron fence. . ‘‘It takes something to kill this chicken! I'll be skippin’ round lively when Mr. Dirk is playin’ checkers with bis nose behind wickerwork,’’ His legs were weak and unsteady and things seemed going round and round, This caused him to cling fast to the fence fora time, Within his head he seemed to hear a mad roaring of machinery, and there was a deadly faintness at the pit of the stomach. This habbo grew so rapidly that he began to fear he was dying, This fear was in. creased when he put his hand to his head and took it away covered with blood. Then the boy was seized with a feeling of frenzy at the thought that Black Dirk would triumph after all and Jessie would not be saved from the yillain’s power. He thought of his poor mother at home, and that scemed to give him strength for one last desperate effort, “Pll git in—Ill tell Jess!” he panted, as he worked his way along the fence to the steps. ‘‘If Lhad a revolver, I’d shoot Black Dirk!” | He staggered up the steps and looked for the bell-button. It was the first one on the right hand side, and, to his wonder, through ny aay mist that was tinged with crimson, he read: ‘“« Joon Snow.” His brain was not clear enough to con- nect ‘‘ John Snow” and ‘‘ Walden White,” but,he knew the man he was after had rung that bell, so he pushed the button. Click—the door opened befored him, Bracing himself for the effort Bob stagger- ed down the hall to the door he knew must open into the flat he wished to enter, He reached it, but there his strength failed him for the time, and he fell back against the wall in the shadows of a corner. The door was opened and the head of a colored girl appeared. She glanced toward the front entrance and saw the door stand- ing wide open, but perceived no one there, ‘“F'o’ de lan’ sakes, who rung dat bell an’ lef’ de doah open?’ she spluttered. ‘‘Wish de folks up-stair stop ringin’ dis bell w’en dey wants to gitin. Anyhow, dey oughter know e’nuff to shet de doah atter ‘em. > : She went down the hall to close the front oor. Bob saw his opportunity, and he improved it, summoning all his strength to walk noise- lessly into the flat. By the time the girl re- turned, he was well out of the way. The sound of voices in the front room attracted his attention, and he moved to- ward the parlor, feeling his way now, for his own weaknesseand the darkness of the rooms rendered it difficult for him to proceed noise- lessly. As he advanced, he realized a man and a woman were quarrelling sbarply, and the sound of a familiar voice caused him to brace up to the most of his ability. ‘ T’'ve found her!” he hoarsely whispered. ‘She is there—with him!” He came to some portieres and peered through, To his ears came these words; ‘‘You have no right to leave your wife alone so many days, Jack Snow! You did not even tell me where you were going! 1 have suffered tortures! And now you come back and treat me like this!” . The speaker was a beautiful girl of twen- ty, with black hair and flashing black eyes. er slender figure was finely molded and graceful, and her pose, as she confronted the man of the black mustache, was that of a tragedy queen. ' he man was Black Dirk, and there was a been struck down by Farrel, and he fancied ' sneer on his face. i j ‘ Lobel - Yt is3 van’ Fe | 1 cea) » - . os bib ?\ eo - - ¢ - « : td See ot y-AN “es tie 4 Pay RE eva ys Toei AR A OR aed: : Ky Sat * : ~ . 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