Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 890 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

ig- 4 i , x Z 1 0 Deel —_—_ —_ true statement. Yesterday afternoon you were in Mulgraff’s pool-rooms, g heavily and belting on the races!” The sou’s face fell, ‘* Who says so?” ‘¢ A detective, who saw you there.” ‘* Was he betting, too?” ‘* He was toere 1n the line of his duty, only; but bis case is not the one under consideration. To get to Mulgraff’s as early as you were there you wust have got excused at the office. Todo this, you probably gave some false excuse, In any case, you went among evil associates, The man, Brown, whom you were with, is a profes- sional gambler, and probably worse. Ue is likely to land in prison one of these days, and his associates may go with him.” ‘* Meaning me?” **T hope it dou’t mean you.” ‘* You have the same as charged me with crime!” cried Harry, hotly. ‘* No,” was the patient answer; ‘‘ [ have only warned you.” “You ‘warn’ me every night. Hang it! ain’t [ old enough to take care of myself?” ‘* If you are, you will shake your present as- sociates before they get you into tronole,” ** Now, see here: [ don’t want to quarrel, but I’m tired of this sort of talk. Nobody outside this house ever accused me of being under- witted—” ** Has any one within the house?” “ Practically, yes. You think I can’t makea choice of associates without getting done up every time. 1’m eighteen years old, and when is a fellow to have discretion, if not at that age? I go with those I know to be all right, and with nobody elise. You don’t know them;I do. I say they’re square,” ‘* How abvut over indulgence in liquor on their part and yours?” — ** On! is that coming up, too?” ** You object to it?” “ I do,” ** And to my warning you against Mulgraff’s, and againss Herman Brown?’ ‘Yes. I[ don’t want along lecture—” ‘* You shall not have one, my son; J am going tosay no more. These talks of ours bave been going on for years; as you insinuate, it 1s time tostop them. Ll bave counseled and advised— you know myviews, Here [ will end, siuce you demand it, but end with the statement that Her- man Brown is a man whose picture is in the Rogues’ Gallery ; who is a professional gambler ; who 1s being watched by the detectives, and who will be landed in the Tombs before many years. It will be his last taste of freedom for years to come. I Pee he will not drag any one to ruin with him. That is all, my son,” Mr. Tildrake had retained the kindness which had marked his manner from the beginning, and emotion had caused his voice to tremble percep- tibly. If. Harry had but known it, he had his best friend before him, but he could not understand that a man who had worn a policeman’s uni- form until he had grown pray with years was a fit adviser for a young blood who wanted to enjoy life. ‘* Well, if you’re ready to call the dogs off, I’m glad,” be answered, with a sigh of relief. ‘‘T hope it will last,” Afraid that it would not last, he arose to leave the room. Palmer Tildrake did not seek tostop him. The boy was ignoring all warn- ings, even then, and probably giving little thought to Brown’s case, but the policeman had no more to say. When Harry reached the hall the front door was open, and the Tildrakes’ single servant was sweeping the dust from the steps. Harry looked that way casually, and was somewhat surprised to see Asa High. , The messenger-boy ran up the steps and en- tered the house. ‘¢T want to see you!” he exclaimed, There was a troubled, almost frightened look on his face which ought to have suggested some- thing to Harry, but, just then, the latter was all occupied witao his late victory. ‘¢Come to my room,” he answered, carelessly. CHAPTER VI. HEADSTRONG HARRY IS ALARMED, FS einen gies Harry’s sleeping-room, the latter ected Asa to sit down, and then, himself, lighted a cigar, took a chair, crossed his legs and assumed a contented air so different from his mood of the previous night that the High Card gazed at him in silent wonder. ** T suppose I ought to apologize for leaving 3 you so abruptly, ce,” Harry observed, »? ete! 7 _ 4 . 1 Ut ree" : py) 3 Ns Pit. . 4 . ry 5 * ies Te =, a 7 PM . 7. 4. “ ff Ney ; mY fm » iat ry * ral nya me -—— stay away, and, what is more, your absence will 9 | ' ray F i ‘ me" oe ay naa +h ASS (erry sy a ‘ » vy ey ‘ yeh te . “o + s, a re a 4 5 a ry Rs Messenger 999. ‘Why did you doit?” Asa quickly asked. ‘¢T was nervous, and couldn't sleep.” ** ‘Where did you go?” ‘*'To a Lotel,’ ‘¢‘ But I thought you were broke.” “Oh! I had a few dollars,” ‘*How did you get out of my boarding- house?” ‘* How do you suppose? By the door.” ‘+ But it was locked.” ‘¢ Tt wasn’t much work to unlock it, when the key was right there.” care you leave it unlocked, when you’d got out’ ‘You seem mighty inquisitive, but I don’t mind saying that I relocked the door, shoved the key under it, and left it there.” eee The key was not on the floor, this morn- ing. ** What’s that to me? Are the folks kicking up a row over a lost brass key? If so, I’m able to buy them a new one!” ‘‘ Harry, do you know what happened at the house last night?” Knowing Ace ashe did young Tildrake had been stupid not to see by Lis mauner before then that something serious was afloat, but, while he had managed to folluw the conversation close enough to do his share of the talking, he had been so occupied with the significance of his father’s assertion that be would interfere with him po more that be had not been attentive to as else. be last question, and the peculisr way in which it was asked, caused him to start and look sharply at the messenger. ‘t W hat did happen?” he asked, ‘Olid Nat Hicks was robbed of all his money !” ** Robbed?” “ec Yer. ” ‘‘That’s the question. it must have been some one who slept in the house last night, for no one broke in!’ There was fear and anxiety in Ace’s mind, and he was watching Tildrake closely. He saw that young man grow pale until Le was al- most colorless, while bis expression became one of a nak ‘* How do you know?” he gasped. ‘* Why, Hicks says 30.” ‘‘ Do they know who did it?” “cc No ”? ‘* Do they suspect anybody?” eee want to know,” Ace steadily an- nounced, ‘’ who the young man was who stayed with me last night, when he went away, and where be is now!’ ‘““They want to find me?” cried Harry, in alarm, sé Yes,” ‘** But I didn’t take the money,” ‘*Can you prove that?” eagerly asked Ace. ‘* Prove it! It’s for them to prove that I did, if they charge it. Tbey can’t prove it.” Tildrake spoke with a good deal of excite- ment, and forgot to puff his cigar. ‘* Why didn’t the old man take care of his money?” he added, sharply. ‘‘ He went around boasting about it; be deserved to lose it, l 8a . a Harry, Mr. Hicks is a man getting along in years; that money was his savings of a life- time, and now he is penniless just as he wants to go to his old home once more.” ‘‘He may get it back.” Mechanically tbe clerk’s hand strayed to his pocket, Init there was a smali paper box, and in the box was a diamond ring. - ‘*Do you think it could—could have been tak- en by—bv mistake?” asked Ace, hesitatingly. ‘*] don’t know.” ‘‘Did you see any one about the house when you cme out, last night?” sé No.” | ‘They want to see you, and ask you-——” “See me!” cried Harry. ‘* Well, I guess I am not going to turn detective to oblige them. I shall not go near them.” ‘¢ Then they will come to you.” 3 sf Ae you tell them where I was?—where I ve?’ ‘*No, I managed to dodge that point, but if I go bacr there again, they will go for me—” * Don't IM go back!” Tildrake exclaimed, eagerly. ‘* You keep away, and they won’t find either of us, 1t will be easy to dodge them.” ‘*Harry, what objection have you to going right to them, and talking it all over plainly?” bluntly asked Ace, ‘* And let them accuse me of stealing the a money ‘¢They wil! accuse you just the sameif you rr eSNG no Es Lf : eo it < xe VR ¢ gi Rew, . « of oe Wee ¥ J 2 | \ a nt a ; ° in a QO ‘ ees ">. * en ea la goull against you. They don’t know that you. skipped out at two o’clock at night, but I think they suspect it. Now, you go there and let them see you ain't afraid.” ‘¢T reckon I'in not obliged to belp that old wood-ch pper find money that he simply threw away by fis bull-headed curelessnes-, I sha’n't go a step!” There was stubborn ‘determination in this as- sertion, but, otherwise Harry’s manner wos evasive and disingenuous. This Ace plainly saw, and it gave bim a suock, From the first he had understood that if he told the officers how Tildrake had lift the house at dead «f night it would go strong against the latter, and he had warded ff the statement un- til he could see Harry. Grave doubts were in the messenger’s mind, but he had tried to force them down. Now, Harry, himself, was doing more t> create a well-defined suspicion than cir- cumstantial evidence could do in any case, ‘*T won’t go near them!” repeated tive police-~ man’s son, after a pause, and quite as resolutely as before, ‘* They will find you.” «| won’t go nround town until it blows over.” ‘Blows over! Harry, are you guilty?” ‘Am 1%, You talk nonsense; of course I’m: not. Do you take me fer a thief?” ‘‘ That's a matter between you and them, but: it seems to me your best way is to goright to the police, or to Aicks's, possibly; and let them cent man,” to be locked up. I shball not go!” drake’s manner, Tbe pellor ha peared. Ace simply knew that Harry was. frightened and worried one explanation of the fact. Do you consider how it will place me?” the messenger asked, ‘‘I got away easy, this morn- iag, bub I shall be plied with questions when [ show up to-night—’ ‘¢ You mustn’t go!” 4 ‘¢ What shall I do, then? You may be able to hide, but I can’t. They know I am in the tele- graph service, and they can fin1 me easily—” ‘Get leave of absence fur a few days.” ‘“And draw suspicion upon myself? What would they think if I should disappear all of a sudden, just after the theft? 1 warded off the explanation until I could see you, but, even if we are neighbors, I can’t sacrifice myself for ou, ” ‘* T should think you might do a little.” ‘Would you have me brand myself a thief?’ | Ace made the retort with considerable. warmth. Harry’s selfishness was so complete and so great that tue messenger’s patience be- gan to vanish entirely. As for Tildrake, he had not before realized how easy it was for bis companion to become enmeshed in the lines of the web, but it now be- caize Cleur that he must consider botk. sides of the question. His selfishness did not disappear, but he was. not quite foolish enough tv expect Asa deliber- ately to sacrifice himself to please the bigh-flying clerk. Tne latter considered the point, and then sud-. denly said: ‘We need an older head on this than ours, Come with me, and I'll have a friend cf mine tackle it.” Ace suggested that Palmer Tildrake be called: into tne council and all be left to him; but Nar- ry opposed the plan vehemently. Jteluctantly went to another several blocks away, When they reached it they found the door open, and a very corpulent man of middle age vately?” |. ‘Of course, my son. This place is private, for no one can overhear us, Speak out!” The location did not please Harry, but he yielded to bis adviser—ne bad «ften before yielded to Bartholomew Ward, ard to bis sor- boarding-house. @ most upprepossessing-looking creature, , HIiGCDHNOOK Sa. a ah s 2s ay see that you are what you cluim to be—an inno- “They might not believe me, and [ don’t want: not deserted | bis face wholly, nor had the air of alarm disap-— There was more than stubborn } ged ae in Ti1-| and he could find only. enough Ace yielded; they left the house and. sitting in a chair close to the entrance trying to» keep cool. ‘Ah! Til, my boy, so it’s you?” he greeted, cordially. | ‘Yes, Mr. Ward. Can we see you pri- row—and began a statement of the #ffair at the: While he talk«d Ace studied ard, , The latter, in the High Card’s estim: tion, was e was not tall, yet he bad enough avoirdupois on. his bones to make him a heavy weight to the ex-- tent of at least two hundred and fifty pounds. 2 Secs J v ey anak