Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 868 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 for his lodging, but his night’s adventures bad oy fairly begun. e was making his way through one of the best-lighted and most populous thoroughfares of the city proper, when he unexpectedly caught sight of a face, Faces were all around him, but this was a face in particular, It was one he had pho phed upon his memory, and though not thinking about the man atthe moment, the passing face did not escape his keen notice, It was the face of the wanted cabman. Billy did not start or stare, and did nothing to draw the man’s attention to himself. They passed each other in the crowd, but as goon as they were separated a few paces, Billy wheeled about and followed his man, determined not to lose him if in his power to prevent, The fellow hadon a cap with a long peak which ly threw his face in the shade, an was differently dressed from what he had been when Billy saw him before, but it was the same man; Billy had taken too careful a look at his face to be mistaken. He was not mistaken, It was Enoch Peters, and he was walking ‘with something of a skulkiag air, as if afraid of being recognized, Broadway Billy had learned something more about the man, which added to the weight of icion against him, 6 had » pers r pea nearly every man at the stables, and at last bad found one who knew where Peter’s lodging was. Going there, Billy had found that the man had taken sudden leave, and not a hint of his where- abouts was to be had, If any person knew about the crime, Enoch Peters was the man, and now the New York fer- ret had him well in hand, apparently. Billy made sure his revolver was ready for ‘business, that his handcuffs were handy, and drew a little nearer to his game as they went along. CHAPTER XIV, BILLY BAGS HIS MAN, BROADWAY BILLyY’s first thought had been to ‘arrest the man on the street, but he had quickly decided that would not do, The chances of bis getting away were too ag forin a moment the crowd would be so ense that escape would be easy unless Billy could hold him, Then, tosummon a constable had its objec- tions, too, Billy was unknown, and while he was making the ‘‘ bobby” understand what was required, the game would have time to get out of sight, . So, he came to the conclusion that his best and only course was to follow the fellow to his lair, and there tackle him, the best man to win. Be- sides, by following, he might get further proof, or further light upon the ce hig ate Suddenly, while Billy was thinking, the man turned out of the crowd and into a narrow and dimly lighted by-street, Billy was at the corner the next moment, but did not immediately follow, He knew the man would look back; it was natural, Sure enough he did, before he bad taken a dozen steps in his new direction, but he saw noth- ing to awaken his suspicion, for Billy was on the 2 ho side of the flowing stream of humanity. he next moment Billy shoved through the crowd, and entered the narrow street into which his suspect ba distance behind be still had bim well in sight, and had little fear of losing him, exercising due precaution in bis task, And this he did, of course, The result of his years of practice in New York came well into play now, and he was here a veri- table shadow of the shadows, There are parts in London where narrow lanes, courts and alleys wind about in a bewildering maze, and this was one of them, as the New York ferret speedily discovered. Me found he had to draw nearer to his man, to lessen the chances of losing him, and he did so with all care and caution. Thus the game went on for some time, until the suspected man had penetrated a considerable distance into the labyrinth, when he turned sud- denly toward a door over which a lantern was banging, The instant be stepped aside from a direct course, his follower lea ped back into the shadow of a doorway, well knowing the habit of men to look back over the course traveled before leaving the street, and Mr, Peters was no exception to the rule in this respect. He looked, but he saw nothing of Broadway turned, and although now some . Billy, nor of any one to awaken suspicion in his mind, This done, he entered the place. Broadway Billy was at the door in a few sec- onds, and recognized a very humble inn whose sign sotlainad it the ‘‘Sheaf and Sickle.” In former times, before the coming of rail- roads, this humble house had been well patren- ized by farmers coming totown with the pro- ducts of their toil, and hence its agricultural! appellation, ( Billy made some disguising changes in his ap- pearance, and went iv, The bar-room was ona level with the street, and the moment he opened the door he was in an atmosphere blue with smoke, Near the front was a substantial, oJd-fash- ioned bar, with a barmaid in attendance, while arranged around the room were little tables at which men were sitting, drinking and convers- ing. Billy sighted his man immediately, He did not appear to notice him, but saunter- ed into the room lazily, as much a Britisher as the native born, Peters had a table all to himself, which had been vacated a moment before he came in, and naturally Billy sat dewn by that one, since it was the one the least occupied. He did not look at Peters, and a barmaid step- pin up for his order, he asked for a ‘‘mug 0’ arf-an’’arf,” which, by the way, he had no thought of drinking when it was brought; and Peters, who had only just sat down, ordered the same, and at that Billy said: ‘You couldn't ’a’ made ba better it, mate.” ‘‘That is plenty good enough for me,” the man answered, in good language, Billy recalled, now, that he had not juggled his aitch at the time when he engaged his cab. “You ’aven’t the haccent hof a Londoner,” Billy observed. ‘‘ Hi suppose it is no’arm to hask where you ’ail from? Har’ you from Hamerica?” ** Not a bit of barm.” ‘¢ Then did Hi ’it it right?” ‘** You did and you didn’t, both.” ‘You har’ talkin’ hin riddles, now.” ‘*'l’hen try your hand at guessing this one.” ‘‘Hob, Hi give it hup; Hi ’aveno ’ead for riddles,” ‘* Well, I was born in London, and lived here till I was ten, Then the guv’nor took it into his head to go to the States, and I lived there until a few years ago.” ** Hoh, Hi see ’ow it is,then. Hi should like to go hover to Hamerica, hif Hi could raise the wind to get there, for Hi ’ear it is ha bloomin’ fine country; but Hiam ’ard down hon me luck; Hi couldn’t ire ha dory to Barking Beacb,” ‘* What’s the matter?” ‘* Hout hof a job,” ‘* What bave you been doing?” ‘* Hacting the pilot to ha ’ansom, till ba fort- night hago,” **On your own account?” ** Fo, no; Hi was honly trying ’ard to make ha living for the howner hof it,” ‘*P]] tell you where you might get a place of the same kind— But, no, that’s no go, now. No use mentioning it.” Billy knew what the man was on the point of saying, and that he had caught himself in time, not caring to say anything about his own last place of employ. . “Why, ’ave you been hin the same line?” he asked, + Maybe 80,” ‘‘ Hi eard hof one plaee that Hi tried to get.” ‘* ‘Where was that Billy named the owner of ‘the four-wheeler and the white horse, Peters’s former employer. The man looked hard at him, at this, and Billy saw his eyes dilate and bis face slightly pale. a had penetrated the mask and recognized m. ‘*Hit was where that fellow ran haway from that ’ad the hadventure with the four-wheeler han’ white ’orse,” Billy rattled ‘on, ‘* But bit was no go, forsome hother cove ’ad got a’ead hof me,” Peters was disposing of his drink with buge gulps. ; ‘* That was too bad,” he said, rising. ‘* Well, good-night,” He started for the door with long strides, but Billy sprung up and leaped after him. *°Old hon!” he aried. ‘“‘ Hi want just ha word with ye, mate, But, Hi can tell ’e hout- side just bas well, so come halong.” He had caught up with him, and while not laying a hand upon him vet, was the first to reach the, door, and as Peters passed out, Billy did so at the same time, Broadway Billy Shadows London Slums. The instant the door closed, Peters wheeled and confronted him with a savage scow] upon his face, but he looked into the grim tube of a trusty Smith & Wesson five-shooter. ‘*Give in,” Billy sternly ordered, ‘I’ve got a fist of fives here.” ‘* Curse you, what do you mean?” ‘*T mean that I have been looking for you, Enoch Peters, and that youare not going to give me the slip a second time.” ‘* Who are you?” “ Broadway Billy. of New York.” ‘“‘T thought so. For God’s sake spare me, Billy Weston.” ‘‘You will be spared if you are innocent. What do you say onthat head? Are you inno- cent?” ‘‘T am, I swear I am,” ‘“* fs that the truth?’ ‘On my soul it is.” ‘‘Then the very best thing you can do is to put your case in my hands and let me sift it out, Will you do that?” ‘‘ How can I help myself?” ‘““Tf you will come with me to my lodging, well and good; if not, we'll takea walk to Scot- land Yard, Say quick which it shall be, before a bobby appears.” ‘Pll go with you,” the fellow quickly eleeted, ‘‘T have heard of you, and I know what’s best for my skin. I have n expectin’ this, for I knowed I couldn’t keep out of your clutches long.” CHAPTER XV. THE CABMAN TELLS HIS STORY. WiTH a quick movement Broadway Billy snapped a handcuff upon the fellow’s right wrist, locking the other loop of it upon his own left, and led him away. Billy had met with an easier victory than he had anticipated, He had expected nothing short of a fight, in which be would probably have to ‘‘ wing” bis man before he could secure him, Tbey were quite a distance from Billy’s lodg- ing, but walked there, and nothing was said about the matter on the way. It was not brought up until they were in Billy’s room, There Billy disarmed his man, then released him, and they rat down, Billy retaining his re- volver in band, ‘‘ Now, Peters,” be said, ‘‘I want to know all you can tell me about this matter, and I want a straight story, too, If you lie to me, so much the worse for yeu.” ‘‘] have no reagon to lie about it, now,” the man made answer. ‘The worst bas happened, just as I expected it would, and I know the best thing I can dois to makea clean breast of the whole business,” ‘You are right. did you run away?” ‘* For fear that I migbt get tangled up in the nasty mess, that’s all, I wanted to keep out of it if I could,” ‘‘ Well, your story.” ‘‘ Where shall I begin?” ‘* At the beginning, of course.” ‘* Well, on that night I was goin’ along High Holborn, whena slim young chap hailed me and 1 pulled upand got him. He engaged me by the hour, and put down a handsome tip to begin witb. Then he told me where to go, It was to that etreet where that Mr. Keeler lives, and be stopped a Jittle distance from his house, 1 found out all about it since by the papers, you gee, Well” ‘* He got out and went to that bouse and ask- ed for somebody. Then he came back to the cab and said he would bave to wait, as the per- son was not at home then. And £0 we waited, the slim young fellow walking up and down, and I stayin’ with my cab waitin’ for what was to follow. At Jast, after a good long wait, a young woman came along at a quick walk, and was about to gointo the house when the slim young fellow stopped her and handed her a note, They talked a minute or so, and then both came to the cab and got in, after the man bad whispered the directions,” ‘‘ Where did they go?” “Tt was to a re a house in a pretty hard quarter, and I knowed that a game of some sort was afoot, but I had no thought that it would be blood. Tbat quarter is a bad one, you know, and [I thought something differ- ent, Well, we went there, and they got out and I was told to wait, and the fellow gave me another tip the same as the first. Of coursel waited, We don’t strike gold-mines every day in our line, you see. I waited, and in about an hour the young fellow came out, leading a wo- If you are innocent, why com - wig choo yO =) "> —_———— + 62 we ee