Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 889 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

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To the undertaker's Nat went, and show- ing a badge as a reporter for a Boston paper, he asked to see the body, anda glance showed him that it was his acquaintance of a couple of hours before, Then Nat went to his uncanny quarters, arriving after midnight, but’ finding his guard on duty, and Sentinel at the door of the prisoner. “* He is all safe, Chub, so go, to bed and I think the morning will reveal something to us,” said Nat, 2] he was soon fast asleep as ‘was Chub also. Nat was up at seven and went to break- fast at the cottage, and to make known to Olive the discoveries he had made the night before. He kept Chub on guard, and took him and the prisoner an excellent breakfast from the cottage, not forgetting Sentinel. The prisoner ate with a relish, and when 4he meal was concluded Nat said to him: ‘‘T have found your friend, Bill.” ‘You has?” ** Yes, I can ae my clutches on him at any time; but I want your written state- ment of what you told me about him and yourself as well.” **) hain’t much of a writer.” - * But you do write?” ‘‘] kin sling ink, but my spellin’ is away vif, and my writin’ looks drunk.” ‘‘ Well, write as I tell you, and have you ‘any paper?” . ‘* Yes, Ihas a note-book what Bill give me to do some figurin’ in.” ‘* That will do, ‘*T will get you pen and ink.” This was done, and the convict wrote the story as he had told it, of what he knew of Killer Bill and his own record. Then Nat took the paper into the assembly room, and seating himself at a table, began to study the writing. He was an expert penman and _ possessed the dangerous accomplishment of imitating hand writing. ; After a while he sgt to work, upon the Nat that Killer Bill had said he always took his meals. . Chub was then given the decoy letter and his instructions and departed on his mission to bring Killer Bill to the Haunted House, telling him also to appoint a time after night- fall, and tosend there ahead of him Teaser, Doc and Parson. Chub having departed upon his errand, New York Nat opened the morning papers and sat down to read the accounts of the tragedy at the Rayfield flat the night before, for he had seen the ever-encrgetic reporters there getting items. The affair was noticed in large head-lines, and Nat read as follows: ‘A TRAGEDY IN A FASHIONABLE FLAT! ‘“*AN ATTEMPT TO KILL MR. RAYFIELD! ‘* A Pretended Friend Proves to be a Robber / “A Brave VALET KILLED! “The Murderer Escapes ! ‘FORD REDFIELD’S BTORY! ‘While seated in his handsome down- town office yesterday a rough-looking man, clad in soiled attire, demanded to see Mr. ‘*T has a letter for yer.” ‘* Who from.” ‘*T guess it tells,” ‘* Who gave it to you?” ‘‘A man as said he was your pal and give me two dollars ter find yer, so I has waited all day.” ** Who is he?” ‘‘Read yer letter an’ find out, for I isn’t paid ter tell yer what's in it.” The convict opened the letter and reading it asked: ‘*Where is Zip?” ‘*]’ll take you there; but you better not go until dark, so I'll come back for yer,” : ‘All right, I'll bave my dinner and a smoke, meat be ready.” Chub departed and going to Freckles’s news-stand at once gave him word to have the three youths Nat had ordered, and who were in waiting, to go with all haste up to the Haunted Mansion. Then he returned for Killer Billand found him ready to go with him, it being almost twilight. They took the Elevated Road, Killer Bill playing the gentleman and telling Chub to keep away from him, but he would watch and follow him. When Chub got out so did the convict, and it way dark when the young ferret led Ford Rayfield, the popular broker, and was | the was to the old mansion. admitted. ‘‘Mr, Rayfield was some years ago a miner in New Mexico, and. there met one whom the man claimed to be, and not caring to go ‘‘T guess Zip is rusticatin’ to come u here,” said the man as he now closely fol- lowed after Chub. ‘‘He’s in a mighty spooky place, but I back on an old pard, now that he is a man of ; hain’t scared when anybody is along and he wealth and position, he invited his visitor up to see him at his home. “The visitor came, and Mr. Rayfield’s valet being out, he admitted him himself. ‘*}t was not long before Mr, Rayfield saw that the man was a fraud, and then a tragedy quickly followed, for the fellow said that he had come there to rob him, and he leveled a revolver full at the broker. ‘‘Mr. Rayfield is no coward, but he was at the man’s mercy, and would have been robbed but for the return of the valet, who entered with his pass-key and turned the attention of the robber to bim, ‘*Coward as he was, the desperate fellow fired upon Ditson, the valet, killing him in- stantly, and as Mr. Rayfield rushed upon him, fired three shots at him, breaking the large mirror, shattering a costly statue, and sending the third: bullet into the rosewood iano. . In the smoke Mr. Rayfield did not see the man dart out of the door, and having secured his own pistol, he followed him, but too late to catch him, and the alarm given was too leaves from the note-book which he had | late to capture the man.” torn out with those Ralston had written upon, and this was the result, the writing being a perfect imitation of Ralston’s cramp- ed hand, and the spelling and composition likewise: . | Sate, UF “ ParRD BILL | ‘“ I takes my penin han to tell you i was run in by a perleese, but 1 bort him to let. me go fer a twenty-doller note. ‘**i then comed hear whar I hed bin hid- in befour, an hes Jay low ever sinse. wants ter see you bad, fer i hes a big thing on han fer makin money, soi sends this by a ‘boy who will bring you ter me safe, an dont fale to come for my sake an your own, for you goes in with me. _* No more till i see you ‘* From your troo pal, ** Zip R—.” ‘ps. isends this to ther place whar ‘you tole me you fed, an tells the boy to ‘wait an see you, for the boss of the hash house iter show you to him,” | This letter was put intoa soiled envelope, ‘and addressed in the same crude style to the _«onvict at the number where Ralston told New York Nat read over the other ac- counts of the affair, pasted all in his book, and then said: E 4 Now 1 will hear what Killer Bill’s story CHAPTER XXII. THE TRAP. Cuus did his work well, for he waited around the restaurant where Killer Bill always took his meais, with the patience of an Indian, | | The landlord promised to point out the man to him whom he knew as William Bill- ups, when he came in. toh It was late in the afternoon when the land- lord called to Chub, who had been a very good customer himself while waiting, filled up on pie, ice-cream and melons, and said: ‘‘'That’s Mr. Billups over yonder at the table in the corner. | i ‘* He has just come in,” Chub went over to the table and said: “Be you Mr. William Billups?” He saw the man start, and glancing hard at the youth he answered: ‘ ‘e ! f ; v: : . ; ‘ 7 : a * d.%d f : aes ey ry ; : or ‘ome Ser ore ey eres ee) © We rw thar all alone by himself night and ay.” ‘‘T don’t like spooky places,” said Killer Bill with a shudder, but he scaled the wall after Chub, whv led him to the cellar door of the mansion and opened it with his wit All was silent and dark within, but Chub said: ‘* Jist catch ‘hold of my coat and I’ll lead ther way. ‘* Has yer a gun?” ‘You bet I hain’t no durned fool to come without one.” ‘* Well, don’t use it even if yer sees a ghost, for ther cops would hear it and come a-run- nin’, but it’s all safe if yer don’t shoot ter let ’em hear it,” : ‘‘Y’ve made ghosts, boy, I don’t shoot ’em,”’ way§ the grim remark, and Chub led the was up-stairs, asking again: ‘‘ Has yera match?” ‘‘ Here is my match-box. Chub felt for it and taking out a match 3” lit it, and apparently getting his bearings once more moved on in the intense darkness, while Killer Bill growled: ‘‘This is the spookiest old rookery I ever seen, | ‘¢ Whar is Zip?” ‘*On ther top floor. ‘* He ain t jist well, so is a-layin’ down,” ‘All right, push ahead, so long as you don’t go through some hole into the cellar,” , **T won't,” Reaching still holding to his coat-tails, Chub opened a door and said: ‘* He’s in thar, | ‘*Say, mister I has brung him.” ar “ All right, git out until I calls yer,’’ came in the voice of Zip Ralston, and he contin- ued: ? it?” “ You bet it is, and I recognizes yer voice, | K 9% 4 Zip, though why is yer in such darkness? ‘“‘T hain’t gota lamp, and I tole ther boy © ter get me one, so I guess he’s gone after it. ‘*Sit down, Bill, for there’s a chair right here by me, and I got hurt in ther scrap with ther detective, so is takin’ iteasy.” And Killer Bill shuffled around in the WP dark, cursing himself for not having gotten _ _} bis match-box back from Chub, iis ta Jey ; ’ (“a } AJ the top floor, with Killer Bill ‘‘ There’s no mistake, Pard Bill, it’s you is __ ates Ty ‘ a” 9 . ~ i 4 an - > * "eT Ww eid mF > J d ¢ Rae - ws Se . —_ Fe ‘