Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 868 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

5, the re Y ‘ ~— > > rw Pres a ain A —s 7 an ehesttT muitl” (Pere » Sa ty ay 2 ad . —s, e Q i's n ° - . 7 4 Broadway Billy Shadows London Slums, . 11 . Flora Floyd’s own walk in life,-who had a | worthy of mention, Ithoughtof him, but | young man of twenty-eight years, with a spite to work out against her, The reading | dismissed the thought. No, no, he has had | handsome mustache and a sun-bronzed skin, re | | of the newspapers would put any one in pos- | nothing to do with this matter, Mr. Weston.” | He was well-dressed, and a diamond sparkled) vo in session of all the known facts, and with this ‘Can you tell me where I will be likely to | on his scarf. : a a4 a4 as a guide such a person could have formed | fallin with him, supposing he has returned “Tm glad you have come, Mr. Weston,” . the idea, ; : to London,” he greeted, offering his hand .in a friendly , But, speculation was idle; detectives deal ‘I can’t sir; [know no more about the | way. ‘‘I’m glad you happen to be in t with facts. cad than you do.” London, for 1 heard enough about you in s G Putting the letter in his pocket, Billy left Then I'll bid you good-evening,” the States to convince me that if any living tT the lodging and took a hansom to the home man can solve the mystery of Alma Keeler, ‘4 of Mrs. Neilson. CHAPTER XITI you are the man.” 7 ; ‘*Do you bring me news?” the woman They had taken seats while he was speak- 43 . asked, immediately. , BILLY SIGHTS HIS PREY. ing. | 1 ‘“* Tam sorry to say I donot,” Billy answer- BroapwaAy Bruiy rose to take his leave ‘*Then you know nothing about her ee! | ed. ‘‘But I have come to aska question of | but just at that moment a caller was an- | whereabouts, it appears,” Billy remarked, 08 you!” nounced, ‘‘T have been looking for you, sir, hopin oe tk ‘What is it?” ‘‘Mr. John Cliff to see you, sir,” said the | that I might get some information out o - Le ‘Were your daughter and Alma Keeler | servant. you regarding the affair. You aspired to her acquainted?” It was Sergeant Cliff. and acouple of years back, but were re- 3 “Unless I am dreaming, sir, you have ask- ‘‘Show him right in here,” Mr. Keeler di- | pulsed. It looked as if you might have ab- ed me that questicn before, But, they were | rected. ‘‘ He may have news for for us,” he | ducted her to make sure of the prize, but it. ai not.” added, turning to Billy. seems that theory goes up in smoke.” ee ‘4 ‘““T had forgotten, if so. Well, do you ‘* Perhaps he has,” Billy a reed. ‘“‘It does most assuredly, sir. I have ie ae know anything about a person by the name They waited a moment, and then the door | reason to believe I possessed her love, two A ‘ of Clark Summerfield? Haye you ever | opened again and Sergeant Cliff stepped in- | years ago, but Edwin Keeler put his foot ye | heard of him?” _ | to the room, hat in hand, his dull boots as si- | down and crushed it out—perhaps he did. qi . “Never, sir; I do not know such a per- | lent as ever. Anyhow, he warned me not to show myself a ee son.” “Ha!” he ejaculated, at sight of Billy, ‘‘I | again, calling me a beggar without a name, ae ct ce This was not Billy’s object; the questions | thought I should find you somewhere around | and worse. I went away, leaving a note for + os | were only to divert the woman’s mind to] the circle. ‘‘My business, sir,” to Mr, Kee- | Alma asking her to wait a little while, if she ; hy something else. He wanted to learn wheth- | ler, ‘‘ was to ask if you had seen Mr, Weston | really cared for me, and I went to the 0 ay er it was this woman who had sent him the | to-night.” | States. I knew I had name and _ blood, iy, ae anonymous letter. ‘*’Then you bring me no news?” Mr. Kee- | which I would be abie to prove, and all I a He talked with her for a time ina rounda- | ler cried. ‘‘ You have not yet found my | lacked was wealth.” ) | os Si bout way, then suddenly asked: niece?” ‘‘And you have managed to corral some ‘ ist oe ‘‘ By the way, have you any writing pa- ‘‘ No, to both your questions, sir,” the de- | of that, too.” ) | Ba | per? A thought has just come to me that I | tective answered. ‘“A good bunch of it, Broadway Billy. f +1! . must make sure of by jotting down.” ‘*] grow discouraged.” struck out for the West, on landing, and | le ‘‘T do not believe there is a bit in the house, Mr. Keeler dropped his chin upon his | fell intoa series of golden adventures. I | , sir; [have not had use for such a thing in | breast in a despairing way, and Sergeant Cliff | saved the life of a young prospector, in the Xi me Lord knows how long. But, wait, and I'll | turned to Billy. Rockies, and he made me shareafind he | a: | 5 Oe see. Maybe Edma had some in her boxes.”’ ‘‘T have something for you, though,” he | had just made. We gota clean fifty thou- oe | The mention of her daughter’s name | said. ‘If your business with Mr. Keeler is | sand dollars apiece out of that, Then, with ches, brought tears to her eyes, and she went to | at an end*can you come with me in my} my share, I made some ventures, all but ths search for the required article. cab?” two of which came out all right, and to-day <a “ She presently returned, with a few sheets Billy was ready instantly. { have a couple of hundred thousand dollars. ee a of paper, old and wrinkled, which Billy |. They took leave of Mr. Keeler, and were; to my credit. And all this within two tek | (ee made use of. It was plain that the mes- | soon rollirg away in Cliff's hansom. years. It. seems like a dream, but it isa sage had not come from this*house, and his ‘What is the word?” Billy asked as soon | fact. And nowI have come back to Eng- first theory was strengthened, as they were off. | land to renew my suit.” 4 P Billy engaged her in talk of no moment, ‘‘A man has inquired for you at the Yard, ‘When did you get here?” wate for a time, and then took his leave, making | and wanted you sent to him at his hotel as ‘The day before yesterday. You see, ib. | his next objective point the Keeler resi- | soon as possible.” is impossible that I can have had «shire Sa 4 | dence, ‘* Who is he?” to do with these recent mysterious events. | pt ort” ae He asked for Mr. Keeler, and was shown ‘Gives his name as Clark Summerfield.” | heard the sensation talked of, and hearing a" ‘ted to the little sitting room, “Ha!” Billy exclaimed, ‘‘ Just the manI | Alma Keelcr’s name mentioned, bought the ; The hour was still by no means Jate. want to find, too.” papers back to the date of the murder and ns “Have you discovered anything?’ the “Then you havealready learned some- | read the whole story. That was how I v0] eA man inquired at once, thing about him, it seems. Who and what | learned you were here. I set out to investi- ry erat Scan ‘* Yes, something, and I have come to you | is he?” ‘ gate a little on my own account, but finding Pon am to find out what there isin it, and if you can | ‘‘ He was formerly a rival to Horace Hurst | I could do nothing, it heing out of my line, Ray Dane help me any.” for the hand of Alma Keeler, but has been | I went to Scotland Yard this evening and a | ay) “Well?” out of sight fora couple of years or so, it | asked for you. Now, the business | have ee | ma | an ‘*T have found that Horace Hurst had a | seems.”’ with youis this: I want you to find Alma ae 2); Wea rival for the hand of your niece.” ‘“We read from his appearance that he has | Keeler for me, dead or alive, and at any ex- “a eit Mr. Keeler scowled, and Billy thought a | been to Sy States. He is dressed in Ameri- | pense, l’m the banker; you do the play- Bit Pas.) pee look of disappointment came into his face | can style, and uses American words and | ing.” | a, a ALE. when he heard this. ; phrases, but his voice lacks the native Ameri- ‘‘ Just what I’m trying todo, Mr. Summer- Re | +) aad “That fellow?” he sniffed disdainfully. | can twang.” field. Your offer cannot increase my efforts a | em ban ‘‘Tgs he back again in London? Heisa pen- ‘‘ What hotel is he’at?”’ in the least. But, I’m glad of one thing,” Age's: : ee niless cad, with no name and no blood in his ‘‘The Metropole.” ‘What's that?” | gee tS: He veins, whom I ordered out a few years ago.” ‘No cheap hostelry, that. He must have ‘‘T won’t have to spend any more time win mii, | ‘«Where did he go?” money.” upon the false clue in your direction,” — ee eR ‘To the States, I was given to under-| His appearance indicates that he is well| ‘‘'That’s so. But, you will keep me post- = nae | stand.” fixed. But, that is not the important point | ed? And, by the way, give me your ad- “re -. * «And that settled the matter between him | yet.” and your niece, do you think?” | ‘What then?” ‘*T have no reason to think otherwise. She ‘‘He wants to see you about this mystery cared more for Hurst, and engaged herself to | we are on.” | . him even against my will.” _ So they talked while the hansom jostled “Then it does not look likely that this | on its way, and at the same time Billy’s ‘man has had anything to do with the sudden | thoughts were working. dress, for [may want to communicate with. 7S ou,” yet stata Summertield, though an Englishman, had ; American business snap about him, and Broadway Billy’s call was limited toafew, | minutes only, yet he went away with a full knowledge of Clark Summerfield’s share in ' ~ - 4 mes ft. a ie a ee ea ee 8 ee ee eee <A « ae & ‘ws —— a * ~ = T%, | * i 1 oy ll . Ge ae _ disappearance of your niece. But, I have He felt not alittle chagrined, that his clues | the business, | <8 Rats not yet named him to you, yet you appear | should so soon be known to all, but it was Returning to the hansom, he told his ie: to know well whom I mean.” ; in the nature of events and was not to be ! colleague the whole story, having no reason — Ae “Ttake it for granted you mean a fellow | helped. He still held ong card in reserve, to witlfhold any part of it, and so Scotland = 43 | , calling himself Summerfield.” | Arriving at their destination, Sergeant | Yard got the benefit of allhe was ableto = = Yes, that is it. You did not mention him | Cliff waited in the cab while Billy went in. | disclose in this connection. There was = = when I asked Mr, Hurst if he had any} He found Summerfield in his room, expect. | nothing in it, and so one clue came to _ ‘Yival.” . ing him. naught. : % . ied e Nae ae m o ™ . 7 —————— LT comicboo i; en es + eo hs a » **He wasn’t a rival in any sense. Wasn’t | Clark Summerfield was a fine-looking hen Billy parted from Cliffhe set ous : ve fa » \ 1 oN | fess ‘ Av | e ae t | | 3 ; s * ; 4 See aad PAY MRC S'S hy alee a Cc y* ’ ¥ ’ Me 7 > “yar ert 7" 2 + 2 Me Pe id ,* : ee Te, ty ae *< ; ** es * es em ot ee = _ - Ay ; oO aS > SASS sus: > oa a ~~ 83 —_— |