Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 869 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

VS Pr a “2 4 we ¢} Ah, we é ~ >a yer rer. wrong ou a all = . a [ + Bee on Sym in’s, mind, oO’ paper. Ned Norman, the Gamin Negotiator. ‘* Two dollars. Narya cent less.” ** S’pose we'd best go it, Dick?” ** Ain’t got no sich pile left, have we?” ** Mought scrape up that much, maybe.” ** Let’s go in then, and bu’st ourselves or make our pile.’ ‘*Here’s the stuff,” said Ned, taking the money from his pocket with great show of re- luctance, ‘‘I tell you it’s risky.” ** You mought pick up a diamond bracelet or a hundred-dollar gold-piece or somethin’,” re- sponded the old man, eagerly clutching the bank-notes, He was very sure they would find nothing of the kind, for he did not fail to thoroughly search every bag of waste he gathered for possible treasure. **That’s biz,” cried Dick, ‘‘ And findin’s keep- Guess we'd best peg in,” ** How many weeks’ pickings have you got on hand?” asked Ned, **’ Bout two or three,” **That ought to make a big heap.” **°Tain’t a very little one,” ** Then pat us on it.” ** Wait a bit, boys, Ther’s somebody ahead f you. Ye’re not ther only chaps as is on this ay. er pea now; that ain’t square,” ejaculated ick, ** He ain’t arter money. He’s only arter abit Don’t 8’pose I’d play no game on two honest little boys? Yer don’t know old Jack, yer don’t. Wait; he’s goin’,” He rose from his couch and hobbled from the room. A step was audible on the stairs outside, The voices of two men could next be heard. One of these seemed to rouse Dick as if a pin had been thrust into bim, He sprung up and stole softly to the door, which had been left a crack ajar. He signaled knowingly to Ned as he passed, The yoices continued for a minute more. Then the front door opened. Dick stole back to Ned, with a look of deep meaning on his face, ‘**T couldn’t only see his back,” hesaid, ‘* but I tell you he talks like Jake, the porter at Grip & Goriey’s. Wonder what he’s arter? Couldn’t vatch nothin’ ’cept somethin’ bout a paper.” ‘* Paper!”? cried Ned, starting up hastily. ‘*That’s queer, Maybe we'd best foller him,” “Tell yer what, Ned: let me foller him, an’ you go through the pile. If he’s got it, it’s too late to go back to ther store, Vli track him down, an’ meet you at ther old place,” Good! After him at once, afore he gets off. Old Jack at this moment returned to the room. Dick hurried past him, and the next moment the front door was heard to slam loud- ly behind him. The old man looked suspiciously at the remaining boy. ‘What ails him? asked. ‘* te forgot something that he has to do, and he’s got to burry, or he'll be too late. Vl go Where’s he gone?” he ahead with the old paper while he’s gone.” ‘ ‘* None o’ yer shenanigan,” grumbled old ack, ‘‘| reckon it’s you that’s playin’ on us,” re- joined Ned, angrily. ‘*I don’t mind tellin’ you that that’s what took Dick, You sold us the right to everything that’s in them old papers, and here’s somebody goin’ through ’em jist at that same minute. Dick’s goin’ to foller him an’ see what he’s got. If he’s found anything you’ve got to hand back them two dollars. You can’t play that game on us,” ‘* Now, look yere, boy, yer don’t think old Jack’d do that? I tell yer it was only a bit of paper he wanted.” ‘*A bit o’ paper? That’s too thin!” cried Ned, scornfully. ‘* What sort of a bit o’ paper?” ' Why, us lone’s it’s you I mougbt let you in- ter it,’’ rejoined the old man, reseating himself, and leanmg comfortably against his bag of paper. ‘‘Squat down, and [Jl tell you, It’s sorter queer, but ther’ will be queer things some- times,’ Ned seated himself, eager to hearthe oJd man’s story, ana hopeful that it would lead to some- thing useful to himself, ‘This man’s a porter in’ a store,” began old Jack. ‘‘’Taip’t no odds to you what store, ’cept that it’s one o’ my reg’lars, ’Bout a week ago I bought up their scrap, and fotched it home, and emptied it in my pile up-stairs, That same night this chap come down yere sorter nervous. He said ther’ were something loose up at the store. Wal, he picked out some o’ the stuff and poked it away under a shelf, and axed me to keep it fur him, The old jmand been growlin’ bout some waste outer his basket that oughtn’t ter been took, he said, —_—_————— ne CE a or he didn’t want ter git his head inter no ole. ‘** 1 see,” said Ned, his eyes sparkling at this information, ‘‘ And what brought him here to- night?” . **Ther’s been somethin’ of a row, [I jedge. Anyhow, he come down ter look arter them papers, an’ it’s likely he tuk what he wanted.” Ned looked at the old fellow with an aspect of doubt. He had laid out in his mind the course to pursue, ‘** You don’t reckon m goin’ to swaller that mighty thin yarn?” he remarked, ‘*Lor’ bless yer, boy! what’d I want ter humbug youtur? Come and see fur yerself,” He Jed the way toa room on the second floor, one side of which was occupied by a huge heap of waste-paper. » Under a shelf ontboe otber side was a small parcel which looked as if it had been torn asunder and scattered. Ned fell on his knees and rapidly ran his fingers through the heap, There was nothing there resembling the paper he sought, ‘‘is that what me and Dick elected to go sapORED ?”? he asked, pointing to the great eap. ‘** Yes, and ther’s more in ther next room.” *¢) ain’t goin’ to tackle that job ’thout Dick. It’s too big a contract. Reckon Vll go hunt up Dick and fetch him back, He’s arter that porter. Got any notion where he’ll find him?” ‘*T calculate I could put my hand on him an’not half try,” answered the old man, with his cackling laugh. ‘*‘ He won’t go back to no store this night. Nor he won’t go straight home, neither. Jake allers stops at Harry Hale’s ‘ Half-way House.’ He can’t never git past there ’thout stoppin’ fur his jorum of ale, and his crack ower the glass,” ‘‘*That’s where I)l find Dick, then. VU ‘go after him, and we’ll come back and try our luck, Where’bouts is Harry Hale’s?” ‘Lor’ bless you, everybody knows that! Jist you go down Seventh to the second corner below. Then turnup toward Eighth, and you’ll find if} half-way in the square. Ax anybody round there,” ‘** I'll find it,” said Ned, confidently. ** And come back soon, if ye’r’ comin’, ‘cause ’tain’t fur off from dark.” ‘* All right,”answered Ned, hurrying to the stairs with very little thought of coming back at ell, if what he had heard was to be trusted, there was no use to search old Jack’s pile. Their game lav in another direction and must be run down quickly, or all was lost. | Leaving the house, Ned followed the direc- tions given him, and was not tong in discover- ing the establishment to which he had been directed, There stood out the sign: ‘“*Flatrway House#; by Harry Hale,” on the north side of a none too reputable street. He could hear the sound of voices and the rat- tle of glasses within the saloon. The window was partly raised, and he looked in. At the bar stood a group of three or four men, who seemed- somewhat boozy, Of the tables around the room only one was occupied, but the occupants of that brought a gleam of in- telligence from Ned’s eyes. ‘* Bully for Dick!” he said, to himself, ‘‘Ifhe ain’t cute, they don’t make ’em,” This table was immediately under the window at which he stood, At oue end of itsat Jake, the porter at Grip & Gorley’s. At the side, opposite him, sat Dick, hobnob- bing with the porter. There were two glasses of ale and a brace of sandwiches on the tabla, and Dick seemed quite able to do his duty at both. d He was engaged in a lively talk with his friend, the porter. ‘** 7 tell you what—” he began, He stopped with a quick start. He had at that instant caught sight of Ned’s face at the window, ‘* What isthe matter with you?” ‘*The mustard on them there sandwiches is too lively, that’s all, I like things hot, but I don’t like ’em red-hot.” Jake laughed heartily. At the same moment Ned made a meaning signal to his confederate. **'Your throat ain’t case hardened yet, young- ‘* You’llebe able to swallow But, what was you ster,” said Jake. boilin’ brimstone in time, goin’ to tel) me?” ‘* Jist that I don’t back down for nobody, Maybeyou’ve got more in yer pocket nor I have, but J don’t b’lieve no sich taffy, and I’]l show up if you dare,” e drew a handful of small articles from one ‘ . : % rz » vube |, 4 - =» . A Pa ¥ om . : { 7 : sf fie - ’ ed j - Ss >» 7 % bs ‘\ + ” - . i Ba. , 4 2 ' \ ix tee © 4 ve ni , +. "¢ ~~. : * . 7 7 \ é } | , a i" 3 Ye a2 )) — pe : > —_ |. zx : __ La P\ "7 eet ru > hy , The ee al 2 , a iek “B. ‘ o ‘ , 2 ies” Le ESE SRT ees tee pocket as he spoke and slammed them down on the table. ‘‘The ale’s gettin’ into your head, boy,” said Jake, still laughing. ‘‘ Allright You match them, and I'll fish up another lot.” Jake, amused at the challenge of the boy, and willing to try his mettle, thrust his hand into one pocket, and pulled out a knife, some bits of twine, and other small articles, which he laid beside Dick’s. ‘‘Come on,” said Dick gleefully. ‘“‘Ill make you dig deeper nor that.” The match was now fairly on, and in a little time the table was strewn with the contents of their pockets, Jake was too fully occupied to notice the face at the window, which was eager- ly peering in at this game. Ned had taken the time, however, to pencil some hasty words ona piece of paper, which be held folded up in his hand. He saw through Dick’s game and was waiting his chances. The last pocket which Jake emptied contained nothing but a handkerchief and a torn sheet of paper, closely resembling that which Ned held in bis hand, The onlooker’s eyes now sparkled more brightly than ever. Dick caught a look and a sign from his con- federate. An awkward movement of his el- bow swept a portion of Jake’s articles from the table, “There they go!” he cried; ‘“‘catch ’em, Jake,” They both hastily stooped to the floor. The men at the counter looked around for an in- stant, then turned to their talk again. Had they looked longer, they would have seen a hand and arm dart hastily into the open win- dow, seize the paper Jake bad laid cn the table and leave another folded the same way in its place, and as hastily withdraw. Dick, on ris- ing, caught a look of triumph from his con- federate, as Ned’s face vanished fronr the win- dow. An hour afterward they met at their appoint- ed rendezvous, ‘“ What luck? Strike ile?” asked Dick eager- ly. Ti You bet. Did Jake suspect?” ‘“No, He rammed it back io his pocket, I tell you, we played that cute. Ther’ ain’t no flies on us, crony.” CHAPTER XUI, THE TWO HALVES OF THE LETTER, ‘‘T HARDLY think that was judicious,” said Grip to Gorley, as the two partners sat in their private office. ‘*Why not? It looked to me like a good move, If we get that back the game’s in our own hands, and we can snap our fingers at Burton.” ‘*it was as safe there as here, And you put Jake to suspecting something shady. He'll be sure to read it, too.” ‘¢He can make nothing out of it if he does. It takes the two halves to make a whole in this business as it does iu most others. When Joe told me yesterday that Jake bad said that he had got the old paper-man to lay our waste- paper aside, in case of inquiry, it made me a trifle nervous. Waste laid aside might fall in- to the wrong hands. have the paper back in ourown, so I described it to Jake and told him to go get it.” “You're losing your hold, old fellow,” said Grip, shaking his head. ‘* Your nerves are go- ing back on you. Why, there was no more chance of that paper getting from the old man’s truck into Burton’s hands than there is for a man’s jumping to the moon.” ‘T don’t know about that. Queer things often happen. If is best in our own hands, anyway, as long as Burton has taken decided steps, By the way, it is pretty near the hour for the meeting before the commissioner, as arranged. Teno’clock was the time fixed, you know.” ‘ Whereis Jake? time this morning.” ‘‘He had an errand at Manayunk, and was told to. go there before coming to the store, He should be back by this time.” He opened the door and called: sé Joe 7) Joe burried up in response. ‘‘See if the porter is here yet. If so, send him to the office.” t Joe returned in a minute with the informa- tion that he had not yet put in an appearance, ‘Very well,, When he comes, send him to the United States Court rooms, over the post- office. Room/Number 2. Ve will be there. He is three hours behind ’ * I thoughtit best we should * -, a a x .. 7 i * - 23 Py = ts * , Ff i “Ta ~~. ea : * a . ta ont ~ = : XK - “Ke uy