Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 859 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

ao oe ae 4 and what was before her, she at once nerved ; and shadower with me, Olive, we can form : | a league of crook-catchers and take in the herself to act, and said: ‘‘T suppose this treasure is mine, Jack?” ‘* Of course it is, for you are Miser Max’s | He bad no other heirs; he | oath to avenge the murder of that poor old granddaughter. made a will; this is his own home; he brought you here; you are in possession and you’ve got the boodle.”’ Olive laughed in spite of herself and said; “Argued like a lawyer, Jack, and you have won the case for me. ‘‘ Now, what is to be done “You wantmy advice?” ‘‘Yes, indeed. Who else can I go to?” ‘* What do you wish to do?” ‘«T have no one in the world to go to, no one to ask the protettion of.” ‘‘Oh, I'll protect you as far as that goes,” was the ready reply. ‘* Well, what am [ to do?” ‘‘It’s vacation time, so you can’t go back to school.” ‘* No,” ‘You don't wish to go and see the lawyer, Brackette?”’ ** Not yet,” ‘You are not afraid to live here, are you?” ‘Not if 1 had you here as a protector, as a brother to me.” ‘Pll be your brother you bet; but I’ve got an idea.” ‘* Give it to me, Jack.” ‘* You are not of age, and if you go to the lawyer he'll finger all your money for you, sure, and it might stick to his fingers too tight to get it out of his hands again.” ‘‘Very true; I have heard lawyers are slippery.” " ores Well, I should remark! “If they were not they could not gain their cases; but you dont know just how your grandfather's will reads, and you have got cash enough here to take careof you.” ‘* Yes, and 1 have more in my room, for grandpa was very generous with me and gave me considerable money,” ‘‘T heard you say that you loved him dearly.” f ¢ did, indeed, for he saved me from burning to death, as-I told you, and at the risk of his own life. ‘Then he came for me after my father’s death and has cared for me so generoysly ever since—how could I help loving him even if he was not my real own grandfa- ther?” ‘ ‘*'That’s so; but I heard you say you would avenge his death.” Her eyes flashed and she answered quick- 99? ly:, My did vow to do so, and I wil?, for his murderers must be brought to justice for the horrible crime,”’ ‘That is just my way of thinking, and ou can doit, for 1 will help you—that is f you are willing to go pards with me.” ‘Indeed, Iam, Jack, for I trust you, and I ce wholly upon you in my time of need, for | have no one else,” : ‘All right; that settles it; pals we will e!”’ “* Jack, I don't like the word pals,” ** Call it pards, then, or comrades.” ‘‘Then, comrades it will be. Now, what do you propose?” ‘If I am known in this case [ll be put in prison just because they cannot find the real murderer, and my record as Graveyard in igainst me with the cops.” “4 Teg?” *‘ Now, ifstead of being a crook, as J told you, lam a crook-chaser, and I have sent in secretly a great deal of information to the chief, but I dare not do it openly or be known in the matter either to him or to those I spy on.” ‘*T understand, Jack; but you have the consciousness of knowing that you are do-|ing to run us down, but that I am deter- ing right.” ey Just that; and if you will turn detective | | | a - ~ 3 : New York Nat, the Gamin Detective. the Boy Police League, and I'll be captain, town,” said Jack, with great enthusiasm. ‘‘Tll do it, Jack, for then I can keep my | the crooks we shall makeit our business to run in. ‘‘Now what do you say, Olive?” ‘Tam with you, heart and hand! Yes, and my money, too, in the good work, for I can now see a sure way to capture those CHAPTER IX. masked murderers.” THE COMPACT. “Oh, yes; we'll get onto them in time, Ouive held out her hand as she spoke, and ' sure.” that sealed the compact.of the two to be| ‘‘ Remember, all the treasure is at your ferret-detective pards. disposal, Jack.” The early training of the girl caused her; ‘‘ Goslow with your treasure, Olive, for I to really like the work she would be called | have several hundreds laid up, and each one upon to do, as a shadower, when under | of the league is compelled to pay an en- other circumstances she would have shrunk | trance fee of fifty dollars, so that gives us from it with fear and aversion. plenty to work on as a starter, and it will be She had seen much of the lowest order of | time to call on you whe¢n the treasury goes life, and the Italian organ-grinder, through | broke. all his instructions to her in book learning, ‘You see, none of us are going to put up had instilled in her mind the duty of revenge | at the Fifth Avenue or Hoffman House, or against any one who had wronged her. | ride in carriages, so our expenses will be There lay dead at her feet the one who had | light.” been all in the world to her. He had been ‘Yes, but you will need money to work ruthlessly .murdered for his gold, and she, | with, and when you do, call on me as one of too, would have shared his fate but for | the band.” Graveyard Jack’s timely coming to her res- | ‘The queen of our outfit, you mean. [ cue. will do so, if we have to, But now, where Must she allow those murderers to go | are yourtraps?” unpunished, especially when the, boy’s pres- ‘T have the checks for my trunks, and ence opened a way to bring them to justice | grandpa inteaded having them sent up to- and so avenge her grandfather's death? morrow.” No! A strange destiny seemed to be ‘‘Good! I am glad they are not here, for shaping her life and she would be guided by | they would be hard to hide from the keen t | eyes of the ferrets and cops. ‘‘T know a place you can be safe in, and the lady will take good care of you, for I | pulled her little children out of the Hudson when they were upset in a row- man—yes, we will be fellow ferrets in the good work, if you think I can be of real help to | you.” And so it was that she formed the com- pact with Graveyard Jack, as Nat was des- tined, apparently, to be called. ‘“Now what is to be done, Jack?” she: one day asked, having fully decided upon her course. ; boat. ‘* You have your room here?” ‘‘She is not rich, but owns her little ‘Yes, where grandfather placed me, and home and you will be comfortable with her, the same I had years ago.” | I promise you.” ‘You will have to get quarters elsewhere | ‘‘I have no doubt of that Jack; but, [ until the fuss blows over.” have here only a sachel, in my room, and I “Why?” will make it appear as though I had not ‘Well, neither you nor I can go and tell | been there, while these things brought by the chief that these dead bodies are here, so) poor grandpa for our supper, had better re- I will do so in the secret way I have been | main just where he dropped them.” already doing.” | { Yes, and yet you must take your treas- ‘* Yes,” ure with you, for the pace might be oc- rt by} army’ state that Miser Max was cupied, you know, and I will carry it for attacked in his home by robbers, lost his you.” life at their hands and one of the robbers The two then set to work to destroy all wags killed, while both bodies will be found traces of Olive having come home with her in the old rookery.” grandfather, the treasure was wrapped up ‘Yes, and grandfather’s lawyer will come «and Nat was to carry it. The two bodies and give him decent burial?” were left as they had fallen, the impression ‘‘Me will: and the heirs will be written to, | being given that the miser had killed the and it will be found that you left your man who lay near him. school in New Orleans and search will be | New York Nat made a search of the mask- made for you.” ed man and the miser’s bodies, and what he ‘But, they must not find me, Jack!” found he wrapped in a handkerchief and “Not until you wish to be found, Olive, | gave to Olive to place in her sachel. and you will know when that is, ; Then be took up the sachel and bundle of | ‘Of course a watch will be set upon the | treasure and left the rooms, while Olive dropped upon her knees by the side of the body of her grandfather and pressed her lips in farewell upon the cold forebead. “Tam ready, Jack,” she said with quiver- ing voice, and the two, leaving the lamp burning, departed from the old mansion, the youth leading the way through the dark- ness. house for a week or more, but the lawyer will find no one willing to stay here, especial- ly after this last tragedy in the old lodging. | After awhile you can move back and make yourself comfortable, while I will also take up my quarters here and it will be the secret meeting-place of our league.” ‘What Jeague, Jack?” ; ‘‘Ah! I meant to tell you that IT was form- ing a band of boys to serve under me, and to be known asthe Boy Police League. ‘‘T will have thirteen, including myself, and our duty will be to get onto all kinds of deviltry going on in the city, and report it every Sunday night, when I am to put the | facts before the chief, but not let bim know who gives the information, or how it is ob- 'in his private office the morning of the tained. | double tragedy in the old Haunted House, ‘Tt will be lots of fun in fooling him, for | and was busily engaged in looking over the of course he will have his detectives out try- | morning reports of his office, when an at- CHAPTER X. SECRET INFORMATION. Tw chief of the Secret Service Bureau of the great city of New York, a position de- manding as much skill, ability and pluck as lady wished to see him, mined heshall not do, ‘¢ Who is she, Matt?” ‘Now you, Olive, shall be the Queen of | ’ , 2 4 a NY Pg ee RE Eco aa and you bet we will astonish the chief in the secret information we give him, as well as /to command an army in the eld, set alone | tendant brought in the information that a.