Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 868 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

| > ae — oe 7 man who had a rather unsteady walk, as if she bad been drinking. [I couldn’t say it was the same one, for J badn’t seen her face good, but I thought it wasn’t,” ** What led you to think it wasn’t?” “* Well, the way she was dressed. She looked just like one of the ‘ladies’ of that street, hey got in the cab again, and the young fel- low bad something under his arm that looked like a folded rubber coat. That’s what it wus, as I found out afterward, He told me to drive to that place where the body was aflerwari found, which did uot strike me as being just the thing, but I thought he knowed what he was doing so [ got up and away we went. By that time it was long past midnight, and when we got to the destination it was a good deal later and the streets were deserted, [ had never been there before, and had to go slow and feel my way, and that accounts for my not being heard, I suppose,” ** That is the explanation, I have no doubt,” ‘It was about the worst place [ had ever got into, and when I had gone about far enough I stopped to ask the young feilow to pilot me, I got no answer, This rather startled me, and I ot down nd opened the door, What did I find? ere in ohe corner was the young woman, with a rubber cloak folded around her, but the young man was gone. He had dropped quietly out somewhere on the way, and thereI was. lhave no doubt he had selected that place by daylight as the best one for his purpose, and told me to go there, Well, 1 shook the young woman, butshe wa like us if dead, and I felt something wet on my hand, 1 looked, by the light of the cab, and it was blood? I.ord! my hair was on end! I wok it all in at once; the young woman bad been waurdered, anc the young fellow had put her off on my hands,” ** I see little reason to doubt your story; it is reasonable,” “Well, just imagine the situation I was in, if youcan, ‘Vhat if I was found with such a fare as thatin my cab? I| could tell the truth, but would anybody believe it? I had got blood on a band, and on my righthand at that! I look- ed around, and I didn’t see a living soul in sight. It was a dark place, anyway. My only bope was to get rid of my passenger and get out of there, and i lost no time in doing it, you can bet, I half lifte.! and nalf dragged the woman out of the cab, and carried her and put her in the door- way where she was found, and there I left her. The rubber cloak had fallen off, and was bang- ing half out of the door of the cab, and I flung it back in, shut the door, and leaped to the box, You may believe I was in a hurry to get awa from there. It was a narrow place to turn, an I jerked my horse back so hard that I almost snapped the hind fellies against the curb, 1 got out of there just as quick as I could, and you know the rest,” . * What did you do with the rubber cloak? Have you destroyed that? It might be a clue,” “You bet [ destroyed it, It was all blood in- side, with no less than seventeen holes in it, where the woman had been stabbed. I tied a stone up in it and walked to Blackfriar’s Bridge avd dropped it into the river.” ** Whet kind of a coat, or cloak, was it?” ‘“*A woman’s cloak, or waterproof, to cover the whole person,” ‘* That accounts for so little blood being found in the cab, and led to the mistake of supposing the murder had been done elsewhere aud the aig Adak gg the cab afterward.” es, ‘* Now, the question is, would you know that young man again?” “Pm quite sureI would. I had several good looks at his face, and } don’t forget a face easy. I caught onto you, spite of your disguise,” ‘¢ Well, be must be found” ‘‘ Which I don’t believe he ever will be.” ** [ don’t agree with you there, I think I can lay hands upon him,” ‘The deuce! Who is he?” ‘“‘T cannot disclose that, yet. I depend on you toidentify the person for me, and your safety depends upon our putting the crime where it be- longs.” PY es, I know that, and you have only to tell me what to do, and Pll doit. Now that [am in for it, I must do my best to get out of it, and I trust everything to you,” ** You have told me only the truth?” ‘True as preaching, every word, just as it happened,” ; And you have held nothing back?” ‘* Nota thing, sir.” “Very well, I will set to work upon the in- formation you bave given me, But whatam I going to do with you ?” Broadway Billy Shadows London Slums. ‘* Let me help you. I swear I'll serve you well, and will be like a dog at your heels, doing your slightest bidding. But, you won’t trust me that far, so do as you please with me,” ‘*No, Lcan’t take the chances of your run- ning away. You are too valuable for that, and I bad too much trouble in getting hold of you. I have an idea which I think will work all right, Just touch that bell- pull, will you?” I'he prisoner did as requested, In a few moments the door opened and a small boy in sage-green livery minus many buttons bowed in the doorway. ‘*Come in and sbut the door,” Billy directed, ‘*T want you to send a message for me with all baste. If you do it. promptly there will be a shilling for yourself,” He penciled the message, directed it, and gave it to the boy. The little fellow was off in a moment, and pe turned again to his prisoner with a ques- on, ‘* Where was that house into which the slen- der young man took the young woman, before the murder was done?” he made inquiry, “It was No,— —— street, and you can’t miss it. The door is open night and day, and if the murder hadn’t followed there wouldn’t have been anything mysterious in the affair,” Billy questioned on, while he awaited the re- sponse to his message, but the few additional poste brought out are scarcely worthy of men- tion, CHAPTER XVI. BILLY GRASPS THE SITUATION. ln a short time the boy in the green livery was back again, with evidence that the mes- sage had been properly dispatched, and re- ceived his shilling, The evening was now well advanced, and it was close upon midnight before the object of the message was réeiiend Then came a ring at the street bell, and an inquiry for Mr. Wes- ton, Broadway Billy opened the door of his room and called down to the applicant to come right up. This the man did, and he was soon in the room. It was Jeffrey Shears, ‘*Came as quick as I could,” Shears ex- plained immediately. ‘* What is in the wind?” ** Let me introduce to you Mr, Enoch Peters, the driver of the four-wheeler and white horse on the night of the crime,” and Billy indicated Peters witha wave of the hand. “The devil!” the surprised Shears ejaculated, ** No, merely a London cabby,” Billy humor- ously corrected him, “Well, what have you got tosay for yourself, sir?’ Shears demanded, hotly. ** Keep cool,” Billy gently admonished, ‘* Sit down and I will tell you the man’s story.” Shears sat down and listened. ‘““Then he is innocent?” he observed, when Billy had done. ‘It appears so, The course he adopted was a natural one, considering the dilemma he was ‘‘ Yes, that is so, for if he has told the truth it did put him ina bad box, sure enough. But, what have you laid out for me to do” ‘“*T want you to take charge of the man and sev that he does not eseape. I do not think he has any intention of trying it, but that is not the thing; he must not be given the chance,” :; “rou can trust me for the keepin’ of him, sir, ‘* Have you a pistol or revolver?” ‘* No, sir.” ** Well, I'll supply you with one, Now, the first thing on the programme is a four-wheeler 7 ‘*Woere are we going to take him?” ‘To Mrs, Neilson’s.” ‘‘ What for?” ‘* Beceuse I cannot keep him here, and because she will be another who will be careful that he does not ercape. It will be a handy place till I want to use him.” **Take me anywhere, it makes no difference,” spoke up the prisoner. ‘I leave it all to you, Mr. Weston.” ‘* And you want me to go get the cab, then,” said Shears, ‘* ‘Yes, and be quick about it,” ears was off, in due time he returning with the kind of vebicle required, and the prisoner was led out and the three got in. When they reached their destination they found the house dark, as they bad expected, and it required several pulls at the bell to arouse the inmates and get a response from Mrs. Neilson. When she appeared the situation was quickly 13 explained to her, and she admitted the men to: her ~ ape **You say he is the murderer of my child?” she then demanded, Her eyes were flashing with vengeful fire. ‘No, 0o,” answered Billy, *t but he is worth his weight in gold and diamonds as a witness, for he is the only persov who can recognize the murderer,” ‘*Oh, yes, I see, And you want me and Jeffrey to keep him here, so that be cannot escape until you want him, You may safely trust us. He wouldn't be any safer in prison.’ ‘Yes, I trust you, or I would not have brought him here. Provide for him and let him sleep, And here, Shears, is the revolver, and a key to the handcuffs, If you have to leave him alone with Mrs, Neilson, handcuff him, Peters, it is necessary,’ ‘* Tt’s all right,” the cabman declared, rege edly. ‘*I don’t blame you, but it is trouble for nothing.” Billy believed the man, but would not take himat his word, since the whole case now hinged upon him. Peters beld the key to the whole mystery, and Billy must bold him, Finally Billy took his leave, and returning to his lodging, went to bed. He was up bright and early next morning. It was now his ambition to bandle the case alone, so he left the house early in order to avoid Sergeant Cliff, should he call around. The first busincss on bis programme for the day, as he had mentally skeiched it out as far as possible, was to go to the house where tha murderer bad stop with his victim, | The less said about this place, the better, per~ a He asked for the head of the house, and after some parley and delay a fat woman, some forty years of age, presented herself, ‘*T am here on business, as I sent you word,’ said Billy, speaking in his firm manner, “I want to get some information, I will tell you in short, that I am an agent from Scotlan Yard,” The woman’s face blanched instantly. ‘*Good heavens!” she gasped. ‘‘ What is the matter?” ‘Nothing that will give you any trouble,,. - yen give me straight information,” Billy re- Oo ped, “Pll do that, to the best of my ability, sir. Lor’, what a shock you gave me, It halmost took haway my breath, But, then, Hi might ’a” known you couldn’t want me,” When excited she lost control of her aitch, but she forced herself to calmness, ** Do you remember anything that happened here on a certain night last week?” Billy asked, and he gave day and date, ‘*T do not, sir,” ‘* "ll tell you what it was, then. About mid- night, perhaps a little later, a slender young man came here in a four-wheeler drawn by a white horse, and entered your house with a young woman, When they went away the young woman was in different attire, and next morning she was found dead over toward White- eer with seventeen knife wounds in her “Good ’eavens!” the woman cried, as pale as death again, ‘His it possible! Then the mystery hof that murder began in my ’ouse?” - - certainly did,” Billy assured her, very grimly, ** But, Hi knowed nothink habout it, sir,” “IT have notsaid you did, What I want from you is information, madam.” ‘* You ’ave honly to hask for it, sir. Hany- think [ can tell you. Hill do itmore than wills rs ‘Do you know who that young man was?” ‘* Hi do not, sir.” ‘* Did you see them?” ‘* Hi did, sir, when they hentered.” You know what room they occupied, then of course,” ** Yes, certainly, sir.” ‘“‘ Had the young man previously engaged it?” ‘No, sir; but the woman ’ad, sir, Hi see you har’ bound to know all habout it, sir,” Billy gave a slight start, inwardly, Here was support for a suspicion he had, and now he thought he saw his way clear to the end, You you ret bese well tell me all about it,” ‘an e he assured, lainer you make it the less trouble you are likely to get into yourself, Now, go ahead,” The woman had become calm enough to con- trol the erratic letter by this time, and told what she had to tell. ‘““It was early in the evening,” she said, “that a young woman g a vail came. FEOMICDOOKS.CO ea a ty ; 4 MN - h ¢ m