Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 890 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

c a * A £2 Pia ro ke 7 » — oe . ‘ sab See ve io ‘ <)> ~~ a ., - , oe ¥ ~? 7 “" ~~ — x = ae ee a een Yr ; ~ . = me ae + ees yo ad —_ bes Nee be! ye ae » Lie, . 2 = - _ * - s oa 4a o ~ “ 4 * of ~a j¢** Be awe 4 ~~ Sue gir? “rat « Ao, res e 1 foe +) ' Vo J ae deserved it, > —-_- This was kindly said, but Ace saw that Parry ‘meant all that he had spoken, “Allright; i’s your affiir, not mine: } ut I advise you to let whisky anu brtiing alone,” He turned away, but Tildrake *alie. him back, _ * Be sure not to tell any human being about me,” the race mad youth anxiously cautioned, ‘¢T won't; ’m mum,” Feeling that he could do his friend no good, Ace turned and went out of the room, ‘Who's that kid, anyhow?” Brown asked, looking after him with a distrustful gaze, ‘‘ He lives near me,” Harry mechanically re- lied. ar Probably he'll split on you,” ‘No, he won’t; but what 1f he does? I’m ruined, as itis, and I reckon the bottom of the North River is the best place for me,” ‘¢ Nonsense! Don’t let we hear any more talk like that. True} you missed it on High Boots, but there’s no reason why you should be all split up the back over it. You'll probably call tbe ‘turn on to-morrow’s events, and get back all your stuff.” Tildrake winked hard and tried to clear his vision as he gazed at Brown. ‘¢Herm,” he replied, ‘‘ you led me a pretty dance when you got me interested in running races,” ** How so?” . ** You started me off on a devil’s chase, I’ve run it well; I’ve blown in my sugar day after day—and how much haveI won?” _ “You got a double-X on the gelding, Quiet Tip, and over that figure on—” ) “lve won now and then; a baby would be able to do that if it took as many chances as I’ve done; but I’ve always lost five dollars where I’ve made one. More than that, |’ve one to the dogs at a gallop. When I came here o-day I was ina bole, and what I staked was to pull me out orruin medead, You know what che result has been!” '*But you can raise a few saw-bucks off your friends and go in to-morrow—” ‘Will you belp meout?” - ‘“T would, Tildrake, gladly, but I took the wrong end yesterday, and am about broke my- eae “ Perhaps, then, you'll see the ‘friends’ you speak of, and help me out at once?” - Tbere was sarcasm in Harry’s voice which told how well he knew that he was in the gra~p of a human sbark, but Brown answered with even composure: ; ‘*A man can always work such a riffle best himself, Go right to the boys and atrike them, and you'll be ali right, As for me, | owe a bill of half a century over on the East Side, and I ‘must go and pay it. Ill see you to-morrow, old And Mr. Brown waved his hand affably and walked out of the place, Young Tildrake looked after him in bitterness -of spirit. ‘*Go to my friends |!” he echoed, ‘* How easy ‘it is to give advice!—and what a blood-sucker Brown is! He knew I was dead-broke, and on the verge of ruin, yet hedid not even offer to return what he won oy almost forcing me into ‘the last bet on High Boots. What a world of vultures this is!” The miserable victim of his own reckless ways ‘stood and meditated in half-drunken bitterness on his hard luck ignoring the fact that bis knowledge of such men bad come after he per- -sistently sought their company against the ad- vice, and in defiance of the pleadings of those who had his welfare at heart. | A casual acquaintance among the other bet- tors, who had lost but lightly on the seven fur- longs, approached and nade some bantering re- mark, but Tildrake turned from him abruptly and weot out, , He had seen enough of Mullgraff’s for that day. i the meanwhile Asa High had gone back to his duties, and pressure of work crowded thoughts of Tildrake out of his mind for the time. Asa eerie having a good pone, pa) par whom he properly gaver : ey Sucre In fetutn Le cihaten their fullest approval and confidence. He had always lived at bome until a fortnight before the events pre- viously described, when, his mother’s health not heing of the best, all of the family but Asa bad gone to the country. That he did not accom- ‘pany them was due to the fact that he needed to Teas his position, the family being poor, and the latter circumstance bad sent the messenger-boy for the time being toa boarding-house more con- -spicuous for low prices than grandeur. LT TT Ltt, ry _—--- oO OO OO es*@S@*@—— TS OO ee Oe Sn n30—— ee OOD OTD w+ were eee eee up > Messenger 999. Tn fact, it was one of the bumblest of board- | ing-houses, and its patrons were people who were | nearly all in hard luck, or liable to be, | As far as Ace High had observed none of them were otherwise than law-abiding, but he would not have trusted the motley collection | very confidently. ® was on his way toward bis temporary haven, and had nearly reached it on this occa- sion, when be was surprised to encounter young | Tildrake again. that locality he could not imagine, but be was | leased to see that ne was not 80 much under the influence of drink as before. He approached at once, | ‘* Hallo, Harry!” he exclaimed, in a friendly way. ‘Tildrake started nervously, and then looked relieved when he saw the messenger. ‘* Oh! it’s you, is it?” ‘* Yes, What are you doing here?” ‘“‘ Traveling.” ‘* Where to?” aaa ‘* Ruin, I presume; I don’t know,” ‘‘ Have you been home?” ‘*No, and I’m not going.” “Why not?” ‘It ain’t any place for me—at least, 1 am not any person for the place.” **Do you really mean that you’re not going home?” ** | don’t know.” Tildrake’s gloomy, peculiar manner impressed Ace High strongly, and he laid bis hand on the former's arm, : ‘* Now, see here, Harry; this won't do. You areina bad way, and your only hope is to go home, That’s the place for you. You're not fit to take care of yourself, and you want your father’s advice.” It was curious counsel for a fifteen-year-old boy to give to one three years bis senior, but Messenger 999 was a peculiar boy. Hard knocks had made him wise before bis time, and he knew far more than Headstrong Harry. The latter hesitated for a moment, and then slowly replied: ‘* Ace, do you know of a place I can sleep, to- night g ‘Dol? Why, yes: if you’re bent on not go- ing home, though I would advise—-” _ ‘Yes, yes, I know: but I’m not going home,” Tildrake passed his hand nervously across his face, and his uncertain manner showed that he did not have the sare idea of whet he was going to do for two successive minutes, After survey- ing him curiously, Asa ventured to add; ‘You know your father don't like to bave you out of nights, and you’ve got to go home some time,” “Chere may be a sbange before another night falls,” answered Harry, impressively. ‘* Yes; I am sure there wili bea change. By that time I may be so fixed that 1 shall know just wkat to do, and how to do it.” His expression aud voice alarmed his little friend, ‘** Are you in trouble?” ** Ain’t I always in trouble?” ‘‘T mean, anything serious.” **'Yes, lam,” ** What is it?” ‘* 1m not giving my secrets away, at present. By to-morrow night you way know as well as I do, and then you won't need to ask questions.” ‘Harry, I bope you haven’t gone in 80 deep you cau’t get out,” “Ob! can ‘get out!’ Never fear as to that.” Thespeaker’sreckless, bitter manner continued, and Ace High was more than ever troubled, but he did not succeed in getting any definite ex- planation. Harry evaded the questions, and the messenger was obliged to be as content as pos- ee but his mind was uot et ease, He knew that Ha:ry Tildrake was a thorough- ly ‘‘wild” young man. His early training, a mixture of careless indifference and disgraceful weakness in the way of toleration, bad left him wholly unfit for the battle of life. He had grown up willful and headstrong, and so had taken to dissipation and evil ways ag naturally as a duck to water. What had he done now? Asa could not sur- mise. It was nothing for Harry to be penmiless and in debt—that was his natural condition. | ope nf It Tia. os Ping + < i= tracted no particular attention if he had not marched along like oneina dream, His trou- bles hung upon and haunted vim, and his mind was 80 busy that Ace found him a dull compan- ion. | They soon reached the boarding-house, CHAPTER ITT. A STRANGE NIGHT OCCURRENCE, HARRY |ILDRAKE rei used to eat supper, but What the latter was doing in | did not object to entering the boarding-house parlor. He sat down by the window and luoked out thoughtfully, no one being near to molest ** [t's got to come!” he muttered, darkly. ‘I suppose it will hurt my father wits the world, but his feelings can’t be harrowed up much worse than they bavehbeen. if ever there was a black sheep, I’ve been one. I’ve gone head- long road, and I’mattheend, I hope nobody will be so foolish as to put up any money for me after I’m arrested. I’ve a good mind to go out and give myself up now, but I want write a few letters while I’m free. Time enough fon prion life later.” @ smiled bitterly and tossed the dark hair back from his flushed forehead. He was notan ill-looking person, this son of the policeman, but he was one who bad gone wholly wrong, At times the idea of fleeing from the city en- tered his mind, but ona needs money to travel, openly or secretly, and he was penn less, After awhile Asa High returned to the parlor, acvomipanied by threemen. One of tbe latter was a bluff, red-faced man, whose clothes did not fit him any too well aud whose bands were browned and hardened by labor in the outer air. ‘*Jntroduce me ter yer friend, Ace!” he re- quested, in his open, sociable way, ‘*“Mr. Tildrake, this is Mr. Hicks—” ‘‘ Nat Hicks, yer Honor, right from the pine woods 0’ Misbegaun,” amended the red-faced man, ‘Glad ter meet yer, young comrade, I ain’t nospruce New Yorker, but lve got a heart. under my weskit as big as a bar’l—I hey, by Cain!” | He smote the ** weskit”’ with his big band, as if to emphasize his assertion, and beamed cor- dially upon the policeman’s son, 7 ‘** jnteresting anatonical fact!” returned Har- ry, not without sarcasm, ‘SJes’ sol Yes, t’'mghty! Richt from the pine woods, See them honds? They’ve bewed down a right smart gang 0’ pine trees in their time, you bet!” ‘* Did it hurt the trees?’ ‘Ha! hal They groaned when they went dcwn, 80 I dare say it did. Good joke, that o’ ourn. Mr. Nat Hicks punched Tildrake io the ribs and actually found much amusement in what haa been intended for a flippant retort, Le was too simple-hearted, in bis way, to suspect (hata entlemanly-looking young fellow whom he ad never injured would intentionally sneer at him. ‘* First time I’ve been in New York in nigh twenty years,” he went on, ‘' Been backin’ away at the pines ever sence, I’ve seen a bit 0’ wild life, vou bet! Not all angels up in the pineries, they ain’t, you bet! Great crowd for shootin’. Bless you, yes! Don’t you go thar, young feller, The work 1s downright laborious, an’ you see nobody but other choppers, Gets demoralizin’ after a bit. I’ve come out half- bear an’ balf-elefant—1l hev, by Cain!” ‘Why didn’t you stay there?’ peoevishly asked Harry. | ‘** Pm done; got through. Goin’ back ter the old land of England, | be. Wouldn’t never take me fur a British-born Jack, would yet Wal, wal, over twenty year in thie glorious land has made me all American, | ain’t the same slender lad who crossed the ocean over two decades ago.” Hicks sigbed and his jolly face sobered, but as no one spoke, be suddenly rallied, put bis hand in his pocket, and drew qpt a big roll of green- backed bank notes, A ‘ ‘* That is wey I didn’t stay in the pine woods!” he added, gleefully. ‘‘ Run yer eye over that, yqung feller! See the green daubs sprawled over the paper, an’ the magic figgersin the cor- ners. ‘Them’s mine, an’ I got ’em all by drivin’ my ax inter the pines. Yes, by gracious! There was something--something worse—and | Why shouldn’t! go home ter see the roof I’s the trouble was not apparent on the surface, _born under, when Ive got that roll in my ‘Tildrake did not refuse the invitation to go | pocket?” with Ace to the boarding-house; on the con- | trary, he seemed to like the idea, and went along without much delay. The ef’ects of the liquor Were passing away, and the misguided young man would have at- + “ ay >. K a My | : Ve ; é . oO , ¢ & - Poh Ls < : py . ™ <- \ i $i wt, oF Bet el - _aS we a He flourished the money, but one of the men who had come up-stairs with him sharply ob- served: ; ‘* Better put your cash up, Hicks,” e Eh?” ‘ id a t 3 -_-— j 4 | ft ‘ ‘-va . eis Spas Ue dese ad . ‘ ee ul aaped we s omicboo x ~<a Wet — a eg = ~~ st ———— . ma Mag a Ce a4 7 =" oe ae = 2 . . ~. * _- : « e - = = oid — - ae pte "9 we a <= ~~ ais {— ~ = . 4 # Pa _ “ _ . Pas - i . é ta ts em % hd J = ee . - ai - _— - al - ~- = c ~~ me > ~ a at > s 7 r ‘ee. >.4 = Os a —_ bad ——— oe > —_. —™e - © ~ . - i ~ «= 5 . : ATS neat ~— = ay ~ a aS + , Stee * i ‘ ; ae o a . r . fae oe - i ’ ~ <= “se ww