Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 890 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

> Oe Se oe ~ike Se SS, f de «> ss “ are ¢ at © , vad Ps = » ym ‘ +" 3 ° * vi cd “would know in the twinkling of an eye who the “~ eo - - er ry — a =. _ i ee. <e ore a : ~ 3 Oe « ~ é % ‘ fi. Messenger 999. far Ward was wide of the truth as to the pres- | arresting you, young man. For Palmer Til- ent whereabouts of the aforesaid ** High.” drake’s sake Il regret it, but I have no cioice, ~ Clearly, however, the wily Bartholomew knew | The charge is that you robbed Oid Nat Hicks.” too much avout bim. ‘*T am innocent,” Harry sullenly responded. ' ** Well, the kid is out of the way, then,” Brown ‘*| hope you can proveit. Shall we go back replied. : | and teil your father?” ** for the time being, but it wasa stupid move. | The prisoner looked at the old home, and then If he returns alivé-—what then?” | broke down entirely. ‘*Hemaynot. Let us speak of Tildrake. ’m afraid he means mischief,” ‘+ But [ thought you had him fully in your wer,” ; arrest, anybow, it may as well be revealed now, ‘¢ So I have, but he is not the plastic creature | when [ can aver my innocence under my own I thought him, To put it plainly, Tildraks is | home-roof,” weak aod ro: kless, but not wicked—excuse my Even the time-hardened detective looked in choice of words, but I speak in the way of theso- | pity at the speaker. 16 was hard to see the son called respectable part of thecommunity. I[n-| of honest parents go wrong, but it was an old, stead of going lower, now he is down, Head- ; oli story. stroug Harry bas made a brace, forsaken the Harry still hesitated, and Bellbar gently evil gods, reformed, etc., and is all up in arms.” | said: “* Tnat’s a pity.” ‘*Come!” **'You ougnt not to have let Tildrake get you They had gone but a block when a voice in his grip, at all.” caused the detective to turn quickly, ‘* What could I do?’ Brown asked, irritably. Then he exclaimed: ‘Old Nat Hicks exhibited his money in the **Ob! it’s you, Mr. Inspector!” boardinz-house. My friend, Collins, sat near He had reccgnized an «fficer high in detective and saw it. Collins came to me, told me about | circles. But wonder foliowed the discovery it, and we laid our plan. [went tothe house | when he saw with the latter the well-known a little after midnight. Collins let mein, and I | face of Ace High and Ojd Nat Hicks. entered Hicks’s room and gobbled the cash!” | ‘*What are you doing oflicer?” the inspector Ace Higb could baraly restrain his excite- | asked. ment. Here was a confession, open and piain, Bellbar glanced at Hicks. and it was valuable beyond pt) | ‘* Speak freely.” ‘*] was leaving the hou-o, and Hicks’smoney; ‘‘{ have just arrested this young man for was safe in my pocket,” continued Brown, | robbing Nat Hicks, yonder,” Belibar explained. | | ‘*T would rather die than have him know of ‘*when [ encountered ‘lildrake. {t was a mu- The inspector smiled. tua! surprise, for neither knew that the other ** You are on the wrong track, Bell. He did was there and I became rattled.” not rob him; it was another man, ‘That man, ‘* Foolish man!” Ward commented, one Herman Brown, is now in custody.” ‘* W ben the robbery was made pu' lic Tildrake Sellbar iooked astunisbed, but Harry’s somber face did not lighten up in the least, ‘** Impossible!” the detective muttered, “Shall we goover and toll your father al! about it?” ‘*Not there!” Harry cried, ‘* Protect my fa- ther, if not me! Save him from knoving what u disgraceful son he has.” **So be it,” the inspector answered, with un- expected kindness, ‘' Come to the hotel!” rie pointed to a building a few rods away. All went, there; a private room was engaged, and they sat down io give mutual explanations. robber was, I determined to make bim my ac- complice. ‘* | knew he was dead broke, and, once on the street, I toid him [ had been drumming up his sporting frieuds,xnd that we had made up a purse of four hundred and fifty dollars for hin. I sbould have limited the amount to less than a hundred, but, as I said before, 1 was rattled, ‘‘ He took the money without a suspicion— took it greedily. He became my accomplce— the sbharer of my spoils; but you know how it ‘You lose the honor of having caugbt the has worked. As soon as be knew the money | stealer of Mr. Hicks’s money,” continued the in- was stolen money he kicked Jike a steer, | spector, “‘ bub 16 is not for me to wear the “If ne gives me away 1 ebali swear that he | laurels. The glory belongs to this youth, Ace was with me from start to finish, but 1 think he | High!” dis bound to +queal, even if1t sends bim to prison ** [t was allin the way of business, sir,” replied for years. Now, what’s to be done?” Ace, modestly, ard rubbed his fat cbin in a perplexed way. ** Kemarkable good business it was. This boy, ‘*To contrive a way to head the young fool | Bellbar, should henceforth be called The Mes- off requis iaspiration,” be finally responded, | seng-r Trump! He has done some of the neat **and ia-piratiou comes only thruugh a suitable | e-t detective work outside professional ranks. tonic. Bring me whisky!” On information given by him we have arrested Brown rose with alacrity, The getting of | Herman brown and his ally in crime, Bartholo- the whisky ought not to have beev a matter of | mew Ward, and the former is the real robber. interest to Ace High, but it proved to be of vast | More than that, enough money was found on interest. him to make Hicks’s losses good, Nearly all of ‘Straight toward the closet came Handsome | it was undoubtedly the same that was taken Herm, from Hicks.”’ ‘* | reckon that’s so,” added Old Nat, ** This is not all that our Messenger Trump has done. Having overheard a fellow called ‘ Red’ Triobs confess that it was he and a confederate who broke into Marker, Gane & Leigh’s store, he gave us tidings, and that gang is locked up. Honors fall thick upon Asa!” ‘* He desarves them, too!” Old Nat declared, He opened the door. | ‘The High Card had foreseen the danger, even if only fur a moment; ard his wits proved quick enough to meet the emergency. He knew that only one thing would save him, and was pre- pared to act accordingly. As Brown swung the door back Ace made a headlong dive, threw all of his weigbt against ! the sharper’s stomach, and then, as the latter **Gentlemen,” Ace returned, ‘‘ lowe a good went over like a tenpin, rushed past Ward, and | deal to luck, but, since you will praise me, Vil out of the roum and bouse, admit I am very glad I’ve done these jobs.” As good luck would have it, he almost ran| The inspector turned to Bellbar. into three policemen as be emerged from the | ‘* You will see by this tbat there is no charge atreet door. : against Tildrake. Of course he goesfree,” . “Stop!” he cried, in joyful excitement. ‘** I’m not sorry, if I do lose a case,” the detec- ** You’re wanted up-stairs!” tive declared. P The inspector took his ay ei and Bellbar then congratulated Harry formally. “Say nothing!” young Tildrake cried. ‘‘I am as bad off as ever. J will carry my secret no longer. Though innocent in one case, I am guiltyin another. I ama thief!” ‘* Gracious Peter!” muttered Hicks, ‘‘ For a long time,” Harry went on, rapidly, ‘*T have been betting on the races, aud mad to win. Last luesday : had a tip which I thought a dead sare thing, but had no money to wager. I stoleit! Unknown to the firm of Marker, | Gane & Leigh, I took from their safe the three hundred doilars they had left there. 1 wagered CHAPTER XVII. ; ACE STEMS THE TIDE, - Wauen Harry Tild) ake saw Bellbar at his side he felt sure that the bour of disgrace had come, and his face became very pale. ™ ‘* Woither so fast, young sir?’ the detective asked, quietly, Sul&gy defiance came to Harry’s aid. ‘*That’s my business,” be returned, quickly. ‘* Perhaps \ou were going out of town?” ‘*'W hat of it?” ‘“*T must request you to stay here.” “You have nothing to do with my movements, gir. it, and lost. That night I met Herman Brown ‘* The daw has!” ay at the boarding- house, and he offered to loan me “Tne law?” : asum of money which he said my friends had {,** Yes. In brief, am under the necessity of | made up as a purse for me—a general, friendly ” ; , - A % . P , , ci3 ‘ a ; z 24 ef 7, (Via Te Woe 22 ye aah a. é: elgg Ss | , ees fe thi = oe > = > » . : Lore ek Sh } 7% pee {} af P32: ey > rh Pl (coe gh x if - +> - a Mace gti +A yic yt es AS. ; ke n i if pos ab z 2. fo | ts ihe va: i ; he . a. . A”. - § f s % “_ > . 4 : * “ e * 4 / ee ie . be a % - loan. Fool that I was; I did not suspect that he had just stolen it from Nat Hicks,” No one broke the silence which followed, and Harry svon went on: ‘*' lhe next morning,when I went to the store, I found the safe open. 1 knew tbe combmation anyway —the firm were not aware of,the fact— and was prepared toreplace the mouey, I did so. This explains why the burglars there got my disgrace, innocent though lam of taking | no money, and wby muney was found there Hicks’s money; but, as he must know of my | after their visit. Imagine my despair later, when I learned that the money meen me b Brown was stclen from Hicks. . In my case had covered one theft with anvtber! Yes; l took mouey from. my ewployers. Fool that I was, | thought I would surely win on the races and returnit. Yetlam just as much a thief, Beilbur, arrest me!” , The unhappy young man broke down entirely, but Nat Hicks leaped to his feet. ‘*No, no!” hecried. ‘It shall not be! PU die, first !’’ Despite his own misery, Harry looked at the old woodsman, surprised at bis emotion, ‘* Boy,” Nat added, ‘‘who was your mother before she married yer father?” ** Alice Maynard,” ‘* She was my own sister!” ‘* Your sister?” ‘*'Yes, I only learned it this evenin’, when Ace bappened ter mention the fack. 1 was born a Maynard, buttook the name o’ Hicks ter oblige an uncle o’mine, Boy,l’m yer uncle! See you go ter prison? Never! never!” Ace moved to Bellbar’s side. ‘*Can’t it be fixed?’ asked the young mes- senger. ‘* How can it?” ‘¢ Marker, Gane & Leigh are no money out, Why not let Harry resign ais situation and leave them? Mr. Hicksis the only loser, and I know he won’t mind the loss of the three hundred. Why not save Palmer Tildrake all knowledge of this? Why not save Harry, when he is at a point to reform wholly ?” Asa spoke eloquently. Bellbar was a kind man at heart, and was mucu interested in this case, He meditated, and then answered: ‘Tl agree on condition tbat Mr, Marker is told of this. [I owe something to my profession- al office. But Mr. Marker isa kind man; he will overlook the fault and let Harryresign. Ags for Brown and Ward, they dare not sey a word against Tildrake. I know a secret of theirs they will not want revealed. Brown must do time for robbing Hicks, but, in order to have his other crimes held back by me, he will refrain from mentioning Harry’s name,’ ‘* This is immense!” ** 1 believe it is. tent. We'll give him a chance to save his bonor —pray Heaven he will forsake his evil compan- ions and evil ways. Wewill speak to him,” They went to the other side of the room, where Old Nat was still clasping H ’s hand fondly in the joy of having found a nephew. Bellbar did not fail to gain his point. Mr, Marker was glad to give Harry another chance in life. The clerk resigned and went away, not with a recommendation, but with no taint on his character, | ‘*Red” Tribbs and his fellow-burglar went to Sing Sing. Captain Tribbs died in India, so he was never tried for abducting Asa 2nd Old Nat. Brown and Ward were tried, convicted and sentenced heavily, Bellbar bad seen Brown, and the latter did not speak the name of Til- drake during his trial. Harry secured a new position, and surprised every one by a complete reform, His delighted father became very proud of him, and in the years that bave passed has never since had his faith shaken. Harry is living an upright, hon- orable, succeseful life, ir From Brown’s eccuroulated funds Nat Hicks received every dollar of his lost shag SA He did not go to Ergland, but settled in New York, near his relatives. vie Why his sister, the first Mrs. Palmer Tildrake, dropped the old folks in England so abruptly could never be known, but, as she developed some mental oddities after her marriage, and never spoke of relatives, it is believed she had the fever severely and never fully recovered, Asa High did no more detective work, but a plied himself so energetically and conscientious- ly to his chosen line of business that, though still young, be bas a high position in the telegraph service. Old Nat remains his warm friend, and refers to him always as his Trump-Card Detec- THE END. <= + P| <~ C } = —_ ey I think Harry is really peni- . ° : : 7 7 * : 4 P . ~ % a 4 *% J ’ | ee | y c hg he / 2 ae ) ~ 7) ° é rae a elt ’ a, - <— - Tad * -— _ - , * | eae “ . - * a | . a! = 2 ; °