Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 890 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

“+ * . > ~~ i) i a Ee ** We believe him to be all right, though he has not long service to speak for him, as Reidy, the porter, has.” ‘The clerk was here that morning, alone for awhile?” ** Yes. Reidy went to notify Mr. Lisle, and Tildrake came while Reidy was out,” ‘* Who came?” ‘*Tildrake. That’s the clerk’s name—Harry "Lildrake.” Bollbar was silent. It was a singular fact that the young man who had left Hicks’s board- inz-house so suddenly should bea clerk in the office where the other end of the money mystery was; located. ‘* Did Tildrake do anything about the safe?” the cetective finally asked, slowly. ‘*He did not discover that it was open until Reidy brought me in. None of the clerks are ever in this office, unless summoned here by us, ‘Is Tildrake a steady-going young man?” ** We have no evidence to ths contrary.” ** Will you call him in here?” ** Certainly.” Mr, Leigh stepped into the main office, but soon returned with the tidings that Tildrake had been seized suddenly with an aching tooth, and gone out to get the pain relieved. ** ve left word that he 1s to come in when he returns,” the merchant added. “ll wait for him. About the burglarious affair here, could it have been a bogus one?” **Who should do it, and why? And whai chance would the party have?” ‘** Really, I can’t answer all these questions,” admitted Bellbar, smiling, ‘** Tf you ever can, we will pay you well. Our ea soy admits that it’s too much for him, thus ar, The plan of waiting for Harry Tildrake was not a success. An hour passed, and he did not appear. Bellbar had no more time at his dis- posal, and, as he really did not see what he was to gain by questioning the clerk, he took his leave. As he walked down the street he thought: ‘*Singular that young Tildrake should be at both ends of this mystery. Ishall have to make inguiries about the young man,” he detective was not yet out of sight when the object of his meditation stepped out of a deep doorway—it looked as if he had been in hiding—and went up-stairs quickly, ‘* ve had a deuce of a time,’ be remarked, to Mr. Leigh. ‘**‘Had a tooth out, and the nemor- shee. ¢ was so profuse thatit actually weakened me before it stopped. IL hope, sir, that 1 have not put any one here to great inconvenience,” Mr, Leigh was an easy-going employer, and he assured the clerk tnatit was all right, He did not mention that the detective had wished to see Harry, and the latter went to his desk without any explanation, Hedid not appear to be at ease, however, Everytime the door open- ed he looked up with a start, and tis associates joked him upon having been made nervous by the pulling of a tooth. As usual when people judge their fellow-beings they thought they bad the matter down to a fine point; as usual, too, in such cases, they were wide of the mark, Anxiously Harry watched the door, but the detective did not return, The policeman’s son was one of the first to leave the office when the day’s work was over, He was hurrying up Broadway when he was accosted by a friend. ‘* Hallo, Til!” was the exclamation, ‘‘ you are just the person [ want to see, I’ve paid a good, round doller for a tip on the big race, next Monday. The favorite isn’tin it; the ‘talent’ | are going to get left, bad; and I’m going to play the tip and rake ina pile, What say, are you with me?” ‘‘ Briggs,” Harry answered, with almost fierce earnestness, ‘‘ when | bet ou another horse-race you may send me to Bloomingdale!” With this declaration the speaker hurried away, leaving Briggs staring after him in open- eyed wonder, Harry did not go home, but went to a restau- | rant and had supper. He ateina mechanical way, and his expression was changeless an) dog- ged. He had something on bis mind, and, it seemed, was actuated by a fixed resolution of some kind, Afterward, he Avalked about aimlessly for | Out ry , | Ace did know. some time, often consulting his watch, and evi- dently for some certain bour to arrive, Unknown to him, he was under espionage while he walked. Headquarters who was shadowing him, but a , M and ragged clothes, with a liberal | dirt smeared over his face. boy in rough coating of . . . peer © a ae tyes anti -o . follow and see the end.” Tildrake turned, opened a door and entered a | dances, him. It | ve Cet od M ssenger 999. would have taken more than one glance on Headstrong Harry’s part fo recognize this rough-looking youth, yet it was none other than Ace High, minus his uniform, and minus all outward signs of respectability. The messenger was keeping his resolution to act as amateur detective, After a while Tildrake closed his watch with | a snap and started off in a direct line. Ace fol- lowed. | The leader went several blocks, and arrived abiding residents—in fact, it was a place which honest people generally preferred to avoid at night, for there the thief, the sand-bagger and the ‘‘ all’round” law-breaker held sway, ‘* What’s coming?’ thought the messenger, ‘‘ Harry is into it, neck deep, but I’m bound to building witbout any formality. A sign -was over the door, and Ace read the words upon it. ‘** We-Live-Well Assembly,’ aioe? ah may- be you do, but I'll bet you live ii/ \ my life will be safe if I go in?” t was a timely and serious inquiry, but Ace had not gone thus far to give up tamely. He decided to run the risk. Advancing boldly, be opened the door and entered, onder if CHAPTER X. IN HARD COMPANY. AcE HIGH saw only a long hall in front of him when he first opened the door, but knew there was more beyond, He was not so sure of his ability to go far. If the **‘ We-Live-Well Asseuibly ” was at all in fear of the police it was not likely they would admit a boy of his ave, Nouthing ventured, nothing won, seemed to be the rule of the occasion, however, and he ad- vanced to thedoor at the further end of the hall, Opening it, be sawa scene about like what the sign had prepared himfor, There was a good- sized room, with an abundance of tables and chairs, and Newspapers on tiie tables, Twenty persons were present, and, as nearly all were smoking, the air was blue and decidedly im- . Much to his satisfaction there was no door- keeper, and no One seemed to notice his en- trance, Hedid not linger near the door, but, finding that several other boys of bis «ge were present--nearly all of the party were under tweuty in point of age—be quickly mixed with the crowd and sat down at a table. _ Then he looked for Harry Tildrake, | goin at a quarter of the city not noted for law- | SL ————— — ED 9 ** Not a member?” **Naw. Lookslike a pigeonsuch as we pluck, See?” ‘* Good thing there are such,” : ‘* Bet yer life! Say, l’min de hardest luck, ete.’ Acé saw that the young fellow’s familiar way was due to the fact that he had mistaken him for somebody else. The civarette-smuoker showed how great was his confidence in the real Pete by on: ‘* Cracked a crib de udder night an’ never got a shiner,” ‘*Things work that way, sometimes,” ‘* Worked dat way dis time. Flippy Jim an’ me did de job, Flippv, he picked a lock, an’ we entered an office. We found an old tub of a safe, an’ had no trouble ter open it, but never got a dollar, De blamed safe was empty, See?” ‘* Where was this?” ‘Down on Broadway—Marker, Gane & Leigh’s. You seo, Flippy had seen de old feller at de head of de firm, an’ he looked to be so rich dat Flippy thought de safe must be full of plunkers. You can’t tell de lay of de land by clothes. Seef” Ace High was interested to the point of ex- citement, but managed to remain calm, out- bp essa ‘‘ Wasn’t there anything in the safe?” ** Only a few business papers,” ‘* Strange there was no money, Did you look ae oA ‘* We did dat,” Maybe the papers hid it.” ** Queer! «Naw We pulled out every scrap of paper an’ looked at it. See? Ef there had heen a ten- center init, we’d have got on, Dat’s what we was dere for, But we didn’t get a red!” ‘* They must do a small business,” ‘‘Naw. Good-sized 'stablishment,” ‘*Think Dve seen the store. Marker, Gane & Leigh, you say?” ‘““Yes, Ought to be Snide & Co. lt’s a shame to git a couple A 1 men to make a break an’ den eucher dem so, Dat’s w’ot hurts a “el- ler’s pride. See?” sip course | do. When was it you did the job? ‘* Last Tuesday night.” ' ** Heard from it yet?’ ‘* Naw. We thinks de coppers is runnin’ a still-bunt, but dey won’t git us fellers, We ain't no chumps in de biz. Sre?” Ace High saw very clearly what his dis- reputable companion wished to convey, but the The latter was not visible, but an open door | hard young citizen bad only added to the mys- at one side revenled a second room, aud Ace was about to rise and saunier that way Vv hena boy of fourteen or fifteen came and sat down beside It neeJed only one glance to discover that this interesting person was a vers hard citizen, ‘* How’s de world usin’ yez?” he asked, amia- ly. ** Tolerable,” Ace replied, *¢'Y ov’re in luck,” cs Yes,” ‘Things ain’t w’ot I wish’t they was wid me, Tt’s a-gittin’in New York soa feller bas got ter hustle ef oe iy way ter pay de piper w’en he mre ‘* That’s about so,” “Got any lay now?” cs No,” ‘* Hev a smoke?” The bard young citizen exrended a half-con- sume! package of cigarettes, Ace had a vague idea, whether to his credit or otherwise, that he was 20ing to be a smoker some cay, but not of cigarettes, He was wise enough to recognize in them the vilest of all forms of tobacco, and one | offensive to taste, smell and health, The present occasion was cut of the common run, bowever, and be acepted the libel’ on the name of to- bacco, | ‘* Hev a liobt?” This invitation, too, was accepted, but Ace gsnon managed to drop the cigarette, His com- _panion piffed rapidiy, and emitted clouds of smoke from tie burning paper. ‘* De boss is here ter-niz ht,” be continued. ‘© Ts he?” te ¥ eg. wid a dude,” ‘* Handsome Her?” questioned Ace, ‘* Herm Brown, yerkuow,” It was not hard to remember the wily Brown who had led Headstrong Harry ulgrafi’s, ** Who’s the dude?” Ave asked, ** Don’t know. He’sa swell,” Ae "9 Rie Spices bi re — SC | What he had heard had shaken bis faith Hean’ Han’some Herm is in de garden | tery of the robbery at Marker, Gane & Leigh’s, The firm, and the police, were puzzling over the question: Why bad the burgiars not taken the | money that wasin the safe? Now, here was a young person who avowed bimeelf one of the burglars, and added that not a dollar of money had been in the safe. Yet, three hundred dollars had been locked up in the safe the afternoon before, and the same sum had been there the next morning, W hat did it mean? Au explanation flashed upon Acé—an expla- nation so sudden and startling as to stagger him, metaphorically, and his emotion must have béen noticed if the self-avowed burglar bad not been ia in lighting anotber cigarette, his person then arose, ‘“‘Tll see you later, Petey,” be observed, “Tm goin’ ter give Growler Joe a_ steer, Bimeby we'll go out for a cruise, See? Keep de locker on yer jaw, Petey, ol’ man!” With an affable gesture he walked away, and Ace felt very much like doing the same thing. in ‘Harry Tildrake, and ho felt like giving up the care in despair, ‘*But I won't leave until l’ve seen what Harry | is about,” he decided. Rising, be went to the door of theinner room. He saw there a place which was an attempt to imitate a summer ‘‘garden.” There was a fountain, and numerous potted shrubs and trees were scattered around in all places. Among these were other chairs, and men and youths seated in conversation, It was not long before Ace discovered Til- drake. He had two companions, and one glance was enough to make their identity plain to bim, He recognized Herman Brownand Bartholomew Ward, All three were in earnest conversation. ‘‘ That settles it,” Ace thought. ‘ Harry’s a It was no agent from Police on to bet so disastrously on tie race when at | goner!” His first impression, however, was changed as he watched, Tildrake might be a “ goner,” as he had picturesquely expressed it, but the police- | = . hie vee rag +s of rT ' i ' ‘ Oks. oe La ~ on a eo ‘tae | yy