Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 887 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

a Ys . 4 r . “a _ : e° ? ha ‘ Loe ee ? L, : . Ls : Meg g . - : 4 @ 4s ~ = * *% ‘ _ i - -——— It was.on the sea wall at Battery Park, at a late hour at night. : A young woman had just stepped over the swinging chains, and was about to cast her- self into the water, when a sturdy boy of ORR caught hold of her and detained cr, Struggling desperately, the young woman tried to tear herself away, but the boy held fast to her and it did uot take long to prove . that he was the stronger of the two. Finding that it was impossible to carry out her intention, the young woman burst into tears. This seemed to disconcert the boy. ‘*'There now, don’t blubber like any kid, miss!” he admonished. ‘‘ Couidn’t be think- in’ of allowin’ a purty girl like you to take ap cold bath an’ make a corpus of yer- se ee ‘*Oh, letme go;I beg of you! You force upon mea far worse fate, if you compel me to live. Let me go, I say, and quickly, be- fore some one else comes this way. I must die, I tell you, here and now! [ will not live longer! You must, you shall, release me!” ‘* Oh, no; no, no; you can’t do it this even- in’, miss. Think I'll have to signal Terrence McDougal to come and take care 0’ you.” ‘* Whois he?” ‘*One of the finest, with the purtiest mus- tache of.any copper on the force, and he—” ‘*No, no! Do not call him, I beg! He would arrest me, and that would only bring disgrace upon my poor mother. Let me go, please; 1 um calm now, yousee, and I will go home.”’ ‘* Mebbe you will.” ‘“‘T promise you faithfully.” a6 von say you have,a poor mother, miss?” “*.¥6s, ‘*An’ she loves you?” ‘+ Yes:” ‘An’ you love her?” . ‘* Yes, yes; dearly love her—” Choking sobs broke her further utterance, and she leaned against one of the stone posts for support. In this position she covered her face with her hands, sobs shaking her form and tears trickling between her fingers, and dropping to the ground. What was her sorrow? _ ‘ma heap sorry for ye, miss,” spoke Bat- tery Bob—as he has introduced himself, ‘‘ but I can’t cry, worth a cent, not knowin’ what’s the matter. But, if you have gota mammy, and she loves you and you love her, you had orter be ’shamed of yerself.” The girl sobbed the more, and her tears sprung forthafresh. | ‘“Yes, you had orter be ’shamed of yer- self, to think of takin’ your own life an’ heap- in’ sorrow upon ber,” the boy concinued, in a manner in advance of his years. *' Now, the best thing you kin dois to go straight home and tell yer mother all about it, an’ see if she don’t pull ye through. I ain’t got no mammy m’self, but I have got Betsy Sokup, and Idon’t know what ’'d do without her, sometimes,” ~ ‘‘Ashamed! Asif it were not shame that is driving me to this desperate step. Boy, you do not know, you could not understand were I to tell you.” : “Don’t you go for to discount my un- derstandin’, miss. 1 didn’t cut my eye-teeth on rope’s ends around the docks for noth- ing. Now, what’s goin’to be done ’bout your cause?” ‘‘ What do you mean now?” ‘* Will you go home? or shall I signal fer Terrence?” ‘‘ Have I not promised you that I will go home? See, I am calm again now, or almost so,” ** Yes, but there is a look in yer eye that I don’t like. Your plan is to shake me off and then make another run for it and jump in, anyhow. But, you can’t do it while I am around,” . “Oh! why were you here to hinder me? I might now be out of all my trouble, and where no one wouid ever find me,” ‘‘And your poor mammy a-lookin’ her eyes sore for ye, and a-cryin’ her heart out, mebby.”’ sae is something I had not thought of!” ** Then it’s time ye did.” **] thought only of the wrong I have done her, and of the shame I have brought upon myself and her. Oh! that I had only lis- tened to her advice, and had not been so self- willed.” ‘‘ Know jest how itis myself, miss. Now there is Betsy Sokup, just as good to me as a mammy could be, and when I don’t listen to her advice I am almost allus sure to be sorry for it. She’s no old fogy, ain’t Betsy, an’ when she says black is black it ain’t no other color.” The girl seemed to forget her errand, and to become interested. ‘‘And who is Betsy Sokup?” she asked. ‘Why, she’s a candy-and-cakes woman that has a stand over there on a corner of the walks by one of the iron pillars. She’sa darling, even if she is old, and I ain’t the only oné who thinks so, either. There’s Jack Tarr, he loves the very ground she stands on; and he’d marry her in a minnit, too, but Betsy she won’t have him. You | | ' esses Battery Bob, the Dock Detective. paid no heed, and as each took an epposite direction they made good their escape, and there was nothing for the policeman to do. ‘:Too bad you couldn't ’a’ got here a min- ute sooner, Terrence,” cried Battery Bob, making his appearance. ‘Ha! isit you, Bobby? Sure, Oi couldn't get here a minute sooner than Oi did.” ‘“That’s what I'm sayin’ is too bad, for we'd scooped ’em.” ‘Who was they, Bobby?” ‘‘Give it up, Terrence. 1 was takin’ a walk with my best girl, right along here, when they pounced down upon us and I had to stand them off till my girl got away. They was a brace of bad ones, no mistake.” ‘‘ What are ye giving me, Bobby? ‘Your best gurrel, was it? Then it was Ould Betsy Sokup, Oill be bound. But, tell me all about it, and no fooling out av ye. Ol know there was somethin’ up, for you are not the lad to be gettin’ up a scare unless the wolf is around,” Thereupon, Battery Bob related all that had taken place. CHAPTER II. BOB STRIKES A TRAIL. -‘*Tuis is the divil’s own case, Bobby,” remarked the policeman, when he had heard see, Jack has got a wooden leg, and Betsy | all. draws the line at wooden legs. That’s the reason they stand off.” Now the girl smiled in spite of herself, and moved away from the edge of the wall. ‘* How droll you are,” she remarked, dry- ing her eyes. ‘‘ But, who are these coming this way?” ** Give it up; let’s move along the walk.” They started, but the two men—such they were—followed them, approaching at a quick pace. Battery Bob and his companion turned and faced them, and in the same moment the men were at hand and one of them called out to his comrade: — ‘‘ There she is! that’s her!” ‘Then let's hurry with the job.” With that, they le forward together to the attack, when Battery Bob put a whis- tle to his lips and blew a sharp, shrill sig- nal, as : At the same time the girl gave voice to a cry, and turning, ran with all her speed from the scene, in the direction of the streets, leaving Battery Bob to face the two men alone, One of the men started to pursue the girl, but Bob threw himself in his way on the walk and the man fell over him and sprawled full length, and as he fell a whis- tle was heard in the distance in response to the signal the boy had sounded and Bob knew help was coming. As the first man went down, the other made a dash after the fleeing young woman, but Bob was too quick for him, diving be- tween his legs from behind and bringing pom to the ground on his back with a heavy jolt. Both men were cursing roundly, but not in loud tones. The first having got upon his feet, now made a dart at the boy, but Bob was not to be easily taken. He ran off with a light laugh, dodging around one of the Park benches and making a dive under another, and by the time the second fellow was on his feet the girl was lost to sight. ‘* Curse the luck!” one cried. ‘* Rather curse that infernal boy!” growled the other. Dae ‘* Ha! now forit; here’s a copper! Chase the shadows, partner, and lively!” A policeman was seen running to the spot, and the two fellows took to their heels and were off. — , The officer ordered them to stop, but they 3 | Se ‘‘Nixey, M’Ginnis!” cried Battery Bob, with force of utterance; ‘‘it’s my case, Terry, and don’t you forget it!” “ And it is yerself that’s the divils own imp, Oi’ll be bound,” the officer rejoined. ‘*But, what do ye mean to do wid it, Bobby ‘Work it up, of course.” ‘‘Bah! go ’long wid ye. You think be- cause you have helped the police two or Vree toimes, dhat you are a full-grown de- tective, don't ye?” ‘‘Oh, no, Terry, nothin’ of the kind; but you kin bet your billy that lam goin’ to pow more about that young woman and them toughs that wanted to doher harm, lL see a nigger in de woodpile.” ‘* Well, Oi wish ye luck, me b'y.” ‘* And you'll help me, won't you, Terry?” ‘‘Dhat same Oi will, an ye scare up the ame,” ‘ “Nuff said, then. port the case?” | **Sure Oi am.” 9”? . ae of it to the super, then. Tra-la, Te ‘* And is it off ye are already, Bobb Ye little imp, ye, Oi would like to know always on the Battery ye are,” You'll find stray over from J meer. en he ain’t elsewhere, Bob on the Battery w bet your buttons,” away. ‘*The Girl I Left Behind Me.” ‘*T wonder if that gal he is whistlin’ about pearing upon the same scene a few moments later. Are you goin’ to re-_ ‘* No need for me to make special mention | y, by? whin ye find toime to ate and slape, forit is — ‘‘Plenty of room here to eat and sleep, | Terry, and a cool sea breeze all night to - keep off the skeeters, when any happen to ultery © ith alight laugh, a wave of the hand, — and a cheery good-night, the lad was off and was his. last landlady, and how far behind | he left; her,” muttered Battery Bob, reap- ‘“Terry is a good feller, but’ he ain’t ~ > «a : ao “ 2 % ‘ : - i's > es | ~ »% al “ - lad 7} 7 . a ~< — fs ~~ —_ Dd oe The officer looked after him for a moment, — then sauntered leisurely in the opposite di- er rection, Mit oes his locust and whistling ’ A * +" *, 7 . ‘< - mre in it this hand. He’s goin’ to make mention — of the case at the station, and that gal 1 saved from makin’ a coroner’s subject of herself don’t want her name known. ; : ‘s Not. that I am ever likely to find out, but I’ve got an idee and I didn’t want Te when I proceeded t) act on it, for if I found anything he'd mention that, too.” | king sure that nobody was_ near, Bob e had hindered returned to the spot where the girl from jumping into the water. Sk ; a» . - J iJ ty Je ~¥ 7.2 ws | ¥ * ‘ : a > oe S pe! S, < ‘ J ast at nw aa x4 Phd. ee <a OPaaee ; ees oy 4 ‘ee ibe te as ; Ar 4 y ab he Pt aoe 4 A AN Vet « Ao ; AG 5 af ai wi i» oa "¢7.4 oY ae ore F , , % Ay oe ». - " . &)- 4 4 : ‘ ore ” Z a 7. | \/ Lm GH! aie! a a ae eg RS tae ys eae ee ee eee COOL OOK : a = >a. aon a. La Ti $ ~* * . y ¥ oa 4 aL