Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 860 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

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If the meeting could have been avoided, Kit would not have faced him, but there was no choice. Would Horace remember the hoy he had met during his trouble with Stephen Leech- mere? ts The detective bad thougbt of all this before venturing there, Horace was not a member of the club, but he wasa friend of several of the members, and liable to be there at any time. The boy had hoped that chance would keep them apart, but it was not so to be. Would his rags prove a sufficient disguise? ‘* Well, mascot,” saluted Hamblin, ** how do you like it?” ‘* Prime,” Clipper replied. ‘¢‘ Luxurious enough tor you?” ** Couldn’t be beat.” ‘*]’m glad you approve of it. our mascot,” ‘¢ | should say he needs one, himself,” Horace replied, superciliously. ‘¢ He saysa mascot in fine clothes loses his charm.” ‘*'Then advise your kid to wearrags, If he were to lose any fraction of his charming ap- pearance he’d be a Sahara desert.” ‘* Oh, he’s all right—new pick-up of ours, and a quick-witted lad.” **7’ve seen him before.” The mascot’s heart went down into his boots, metaphorically speaking. ‘¢ Where?’ Hamblin asked. ** W here was it, boy?” Horace inquired. ‘¢ Dunno,” Kit replied, nonchalantly. been out o’ Sing Sing over three year.” The retort made Paulson’s companions laugh, but angered him for a moment. Then he smiled, » ‘¢ Sharp tongue your kid has, Well, | reckon I must have seen him picking ‘ snipes’ out of the tter, somewhere. Now were square, boy. Count me in as your protector.” Paulson, this is *¢ I've » CHAPTER VI, 3 AN ANGRY WOMAN TELLS SECRETS, Ong more danger had been passed, Horace had abandoned tie effort to remember where he had seen Kit Clipper asa matter too trivial to study upon. Unless future events broughtit up afresh he might never know that the young de- tective was a vouth who, having heen prostrated by his rough hand, was his natural enemy, Captain Hamblin turned away from the mas- cot, and some of the otber members began to Denar the rn He ead Neve ny eg ba for that partigplar purpose an ause he was ex- pected to Be quick-witted and bright. Those who now tried to have sport at his ex- pense found him amply quick-witted, but bis re- torts were so good-natured that their cut had no ‘venom, .— The ragamuflin was voted a great acquisi- D. After Horace Paulson had gone, Hamblin -ealled Kit to him. ‘* We will pre you board androom near here,” he said. ‘‘ You are to stay there nights only, and bs at our disposal from ten o’clock, a. M., w midnight. How does that suit?” ‘* All correct,” ‘+ }hen Levi Adonis shall go with you and ar- range matters.” Levi was called, ie instructed, given some money and sent off with the mascot. Kit improved the chance to impress the color- ed gentleman even more favorably, and found no trouble in dvuing so, Levi was very good- natured and simple, and, feeling flattered at being treated so well by a mascot, he became Kit’s firm friend. | They brought up ata small brick house, and were s00n in conversation with the landlady. It proved to be a boarding-house of a low grade, but without signs visible to the casual observer that honesty was Jacking. ' Neither Mrs. Brown, the landlady, nor her daughter, Sarah, seemed to be opposed to Kit Ciipper’s rags, and he was soon the tenant of a decent room on the third floor, Hamblin had told him that he need not report at the club until the next day, and he was soon left alone in his room. He looked it over, and _ then surveyed his rags in the glass with grim humor, a ¢ Late . ~*~ * ~~. 7 ~. € Le ~ jobot EE AL Se . er rm a > d ’ ' . **s a TA» “ sé PON Aa) pe “Kit Clipper, the Boat-Club Mascot. ae ee 8 Never before in his life had he cut such a figure, and he had a good supply of clothes at home, but he enjoyed his situation. Rags car- ried no disgrace, and he had made his assumed character a success, Tuus far he had learned no more about Charles Birdston or his fate, and the chances did not presage immediate success. With the basement region of the club-house locked up, and Wash there as a guard, he did not see how he Sa to explore it unless he could play some trick, This he meant to do, for he was more than ever convinced that the Sea-Horses had done violence to the missing mason, This opinion received confirmation before he slept that night. During the rest of the day he heard Mrs. Brown and her daughter moving around the house, but no one came near him until he was summoned to supper. There he met several other boarders, but all were laboring men, and they made no comments on his rags. An hour later he was about to go out when the door-bell rung and a caller entered. He looked down and was surprised to see Horace Paulson, but Sarah met him with an air of old acquaintance and conducted him up-stairs, kit retreated to his room, and they entered that next to it. Their manner was peculiar, indicating that something unusual was afoot, and the self-constituted detective became anx- ious to overhear what they said. Between the two rooms was a transom, and, though this was covered over with a cloth, he made an attack uponitatonce, The cloth was merely nailed down, and when one nail had been removed, he gained both view and hearing. Evidently, he\had accomplished his work at just the right time. ‘* Weil,” said Horace, abruptly, ‘* you sent for me and | have come,” ‘¢ Yes: I wanted to see you on business.” Neither spoke in an amiable tone; Horace was surly, and Sareh was sharp of voice. ‘* Wire away,” Paulson coarsely added. ‘‘ You use nice language for a gentleman!”’ **T always did.” ** Money don’t mako the man.” ‘¢ No, but it makes the woman love him.” ‘*T don’t waste any love on you /” ‘* Torned over a new leaf, eh?” ‘*It’s time I did. Horace Paulson, you thought you were doing something big whea on came around and put on airs because you ad a rich uncle, Old Leechmere’s money was back of you, and | was only a poor girl, and you gave out the impression, by your manner, that it was very kind of you to notice me.” ** Wasn’t it?” ‘“‘No; for I’m your superior in all things but money—so there, now!” Sarah’s eyes flashed, but Kit. Clipper to think he had been decoyed into fiste ng to a mere lovers’ quarrel. Horace answered, lazi- ly: vie All right, Sarah.” “Tt ain't all right!” ‘“ No?? ‘*-You think you can cast me off, now that began | you are tired of me, but you car’t; not by a long shot!” ‘** What’s to hinder?” . ‘*T know too much,” ‘‘ Or too little,” ‘*Too much, J say—too much for your safety !” ‘ ‘‘Ob! come, now, don’t fly so high, You don’t know anything that can hurt me,” Don’t I? 1 can tell some things about your Ingh-and-lofty club, the Sea-Horses, that would make good reading in the police reports.” Horace opened his lips to speak, but checked theimpulse. It had always been his ambition to belong to the Sea-Horses, but, twice, when his name was presented, he had been black- balled. His friends in the club enabled him to visit there, but he was offensive to so many members that he had but little hope of ever be- ing permitted to join. He had, however, always led Sarah to believe that be was a member, and, though she knew several of the Sea Horses, and occasionally went there as a visitor, she had not learned the truth, He decided not to deny it now, but seek for information. Whee do you know about our chaps?” he asked. ‘* Where's Birdston, the mason?’ Kit Clipper started, but Horace remained im- passive. ‘* Don’t know,” he replied, i: Pea . * ’ . > - r . + 7? o\0""" f here!’ _—_——- ‘é I do.” ‘¢ Then why do you ask?” ‘* The Sea-Horses have murdered him!” Kit shivered, but Horace remained cunning. ‘‘That’s a serious charge to make without proof,” he gravely returned. ‘* Ah! but Ll have proof!” “* What is it?” : ‘*There’s talk about Charles Birdston being missing, and I guess some one could turn a pen, penny by giving some point about him, ell, I might earn that penny if I saw fit.” sé How 9” ‘* By telling the police that the mason never : left the boat-house.” 3 ; ‘Oh! but he did.” ** He did not!” “‘The boys say he did,” : ‘‘The boys lie, and you know it!” snapped Sarah, impolitely. ‘‘I happened to be in the ‘ boat-house, that eyeraes and nobody can fool . me. I went there with Mike Nelligan and John ke Jenkins, that time. I’d been there about an f hour when they excused themselves and left the room where we'd been sitting. I don’t believe they had any hand in the ‘funny ’ business, but. they left meas I said.” ‘*Go on,” urged Horace. | ‘¢They left the door open, and I soon heard: tr loud voices. At first I was pu2Zzled, for they sounded muffled. like, but I soon caught on that. ig they came from the basement—a place, by the (E. way, which the Sea-Horses were always very | careful I shouldn’t gointo. What I heard said was this: Oh ‘**T refuse to accept your offer!’ catled out a é man, in an angry voice, fr ‘¢* We'll make it worth your while,’ said an- other voice. ‘*¢ T won’t be the ally of anybody in crooked business!’ a ‘** Who is in crooked business ?’ a” ‘¢¢ T make no charges, but I have my opinion. J I’m done work here. i’m not the man to Zo ft running around and tell all that I know, and your secrets are safe, though.’ ‘** We think they are, We don’t depend on a Ce promise, however, You won’t tell on us. ye because you won’t be allowed to leave here!’ | *** What? m1 kee “You know too much, and must pay the / penalty of having pried into our secrets.’ ‘** Tt was an accident,’ ‘**No matter; you knowtoomuch, We hired you as a mason, not as a spy.’ ‘**T tell you your secrets are safe.’ q ‘‘* We will make them so by keeping you: ‘i ‘¢* You won't keep me here!’ ae) *¢* We shall!’ ‘* * How can you do it?’ ‘** By force. You can’t, and sha’n’t, leave here!’ . Sarab had repeated this conversation with more dramatic force than was to be expected from one of her limited intelligence. She spoke. rapidly, and Kit Clipper found himself listening | with almost breathless attention. Seeing no cause to doubt her word, he believed that he was ie getting a veracious leaf out of Charles Birdston’s: nel experience with the Sea-Horses. ft fcer a pause for breath, Sarah continued: *¢ Just then adoor was closed down below,and I beard no further distinct words. There was: eh an angry murmur of voices, though, and, final- ie ly, a crash as though a chair, or table, had bee +h broken to pieces, Then a voice arose in a loud shout, aud one terrible word reached my ears: sé ‘ Murder)?” Rf Again Serah paused, and the color came and | went in her face in a way which betrayed a good deal of agitation. Horace Paulson faced her in rapt silence, hiseyesand mouth wideopen. Kit Clipper was not less excited and interested. ‘* After that,”Sarah went on, ‘‘there was a sound as though of a struggle, but no more: cries. Soon all became quiet, and that was the last of it,as far as{ heard or saw. Melligan and Jenkins soon came back to me, but I don’t believe they knew about the racket, The didn’t mention it, and I didn’t, either. Well, sir, that was the afternoon that Charles Bird- ston disappeared.” ' Horace remained silent. ‘‘'The Sea-Horses have always said that the mason left the place the same as usual that day, but you can’t stuff that lie down me.” <a ‘‘‘What do you think?” asked Paulson,ina. careless manner. in Sarah’s eyes glittered in hostility. . a **) don’t think: [ know! Birdston met with foul play there that day, and was killed by the ae members of the boat-club to which you be 4 long!” 3 Le ; : ft ; ie te} Cea Z. - w“ Ape) fo ie v » ea FS ax At fet 5 3 —~ ats 7 LI a -> | 7 ) ~ m? ,* ~ a *, fteq, * Ps