Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 897 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

and you would have e 2 Davy Doon’s Big Bounce: OR, | NICKEL NELL, THE BOY SPOTTER’S MASCOT. BY T. C. HARBAUGH. CHAPTER L. THE MISSING WITNESS. ‘*TrHat’s all O. K., I guess, you think of it, Nell?” ‘“‘It looks square enough, I see you have dotted your i’s and crossed your t’s. But you can’t depend on everything Mr. Brass tells you.”’ ‘*You can’t, ch? Well, you know more about him than Ido. I never did like the cut of his jib; but then, you see, Nell, if we begin to find fault with people we won’t know where to stop.” The girl, who was handsome though not very well clad, glanced at the paper she head in her hand and suddenly lifted her eyes to the watchful boy in the chair before her. ‘*T will try it, anyhow. It may be the last chance and Mr. Brass seems to think a good deal of you, Davy, and—” *-He pretends to, at any rate, whether he does or not, He told me the night I stopped the horses that were about to run over him that whenever he could do me a favor he would cheerfully doit. Now we shall see, Nell,” Dave Doon, a young character well known outside the narrow world he inhabited in a | not very stylish part of of New York City, picked up a letter which lay on the table and holding it up to his companion, said: ‘* Here is something that sets me thinking, It is the strangest matter you ever heard of, Nell. Iexpect you will hardly believe the story of how it fell into my hands,” ‘‘T don’t know,” said Nickel Nell. ‘* Well, I was out last night and came across an old woman who had no place to sleep. She was wandering about the streets What do a a and was about to throw up the sponge when | I met her. She was crippled, and walked with a cane which had been her friend— probably tae best one she has had—for ears. She came to this city to find one iram Honeybee, a man who some years ago signed her husbaud’s will. This man, joney bee, was a queer customer who took freaks which led him from home. When he signed the will all parties were living in Jersey, on the west side, and were prosper- ous people, ) ‘‘The husband of the old woman took sick and died; but first, he made a will in which he left a good deal of money and property toa grand-niece who is now a young lady. The will vanished soon after old Mr, Lane's” death and could not be found. His wife re- membered that he had made one; also that Hiram Honeybee a neighbor had signed it. | All at once, Dut a long time after Mr. Lane’s | death, another will was produced and it left the grand-niece very little money at all, giving the bulk of the stuff to one Natty, a man who lives in this city or did six months ago, inthe height of style Old Mrs. Lane fought the will as not being genuine, but what could she do without Hiram Honey- bee's testimony? That man had disappeared. He hasn’t been seen for nearly three years. and here old Mrs. Lane is, homeless, in this big city looking for him among a million strangers. That's oo ee Sm brief, Nell, Lif you could have heard her pitiful story.” _ Where is she now?” **She ‘promised to come back here to- ~ night and I have put a curtain across the «< Ye 6 ee at ve - ‘ “ J $ She don’t care rere oP ~ viii i Kane he wih ><) t To ey kp | % a Me, F Pa “y * . * SS eS ae thy te thy ai a Pe Cea, tH Tyre « bs 7% 3 ‘AU about going to a lodging- a wy + -» @ ire | “s ° hs, .OT 4 ’ bs r ) ’ ' " ( f ” - ven , 7 de ra . - ioe’ af * ss sity yes i, - Se ass Ke, , tinge ie med PO wh) , 4 Uae ¢ Be: wide * 7 v ry ‘i f we Tip: —. Soa Tae he: Ps a rf ey See di sk pc 4 ve .. r . ve : y I 3 fein e FAY 3 ai SPAN RD hee: Jeet wy! On My .“ . 8 a LEP ROER we , : a : , a : ~. . rr - ‘ . a) Ay ’ b i. i a ae | - tae 5 as ate ss, OF, 4 .* P be % Ve * =, ee) wy Lye i) Se Cs ne ~ » a Davy Doon’s Big Bounce. a house nor to one of the Homes for the Friend- less, for the Lanes used to be a little stuck- up, and I promised to give her shelter here. She left me this letter which is nothing more than a memorandum of what she thinks she can prove by Hiram Honeybee. ‘She’d be all O. K. if she could find Hiram, but you see no one knows where heis, and that’s the puzzle. She is sure the will which took the money from her and the grand-niece was a clear forgery, but you see there is the miss- ing Hiram Honeybee! He is the missing link and as such may have rotted in his grave long ago.” Nickel Nell was silent and her lustrous eyes seemed to get a moisture which Davy did not fail to notice. — **T will come back to-night and see what Mrs. Lane looks like. I think I can give her a little better place and, then, I like old people. They remind meof my own dear arents who were carried off by the fever. es, I almost like Mrs, Lane already.” ‘* You’re all O. K., Nell,” cried Davy. ‘‘If she comes back, I will see that she is de- tained for you.” | Carrying the letter of introduetion which the boy had written on the strength of Boli- var Brass’s promise, Nell went below and threaded the mazes of the street until she reached a building which had a business look. For a moment her heart seemed to fail her, let several persons pass. She could hear vcices which seemed to come from a room alongside the corridor and all at once she started and nearly dropped Davy’s letter. : ** | didn’t expect to hear him in this build- ing!” she said half aloud to herself. ‘‘I wonder if he comes here very often? May- be he has business with Mr. Brass and—” At that moment the door near by opened and a young man with a red face and a waxed mustache came out and started to- ward the door. | Nell hugged the wall as she with diffi- culty suppressed an exclamation of alarm and with all eyes and trembling—she could not help it—she eyed himashe walked along. By a miracle he passed without noticing her, and the next moment she drew a long breath of relief when she saw him vanish. ‘“‘Thank heaven! I am glad he didn’t see me. He has persecuted me often enough and if I thought he was on familiar terms with Mr, Brass, I wouldn’t go another step further.” | | But, she went on and timidly opened a door which stood ajar. She found herself in a room which con- bain among other things, a desk and a safe. | At the latter sata man with high shoulders andaslim body. - | | His back was turned toward Nickel Nell as she entered, but the moment he heard her step he turned and awaited her pleasure, looking over the rim of his silver spectacles as if he were a vulture and she legitimate prey. : 7 i yf HevgeBonvat Brass, a man who was call- ed a lawyer though he was not recognized by the profession on account of certain traits which wili come out in the course of our st Nel approached when Bolivar suddenly exclaimed:.:' gi Slory bie: “Oh, I see. It’s you, is it? Well, have you the recommendation you spoke of?” __ He held out his hand and Nell extended the paper. “27 auaor nr beer into @laugh, | ‘Why, it’s from In another instant he had read it and burst | the boy who thinks he | saved me from the horses some weeks ago, ‘T see!” he cried. ‘‘ Well, he takes upon ae | : himself a good deal of liberty, I think. TI _ Yoom, as you see, for her accommodation. | may have promised to do him a favor; I | tally or physicall don't know what I really did—I was ex- | , i fhe | ‘ : . - 6 : 4 ; . : ; —= ; - & 4 , bg. ; j , fv ~ 4 ’ w - ' - Poulg : me Af! & at ee » > ~—_ ” : : - . > ALAS . e > "SL ott ; \ “1 ‘em 4 “ eek ae Si af ay ie . ATO ee »4 egy ; » . j re ee te eS ‘4 P - — 7 * P f a. ie" mS VA { ) oP Py nes Ue *, \ ne. re Lod - 2 * oJ yy <P as Linas iT Fe", gt fue UP OM ee. Ss be or a, -Let’s see what you can do. but she went in and drew aside ir the hall to | fastened on | looks. | | | her face was | deeply sunken gray eyes, and she app cited you know. But I—I—can’t give you the place.” | Nickel Nell ‘said nothing. Her thoughts had gone back to the young man she had seen quitting the office and she had resolved not to press her claims, ‘‘Can you write a good hand?” suddenly asked Brass. ‘*] think it is fair,” was the reply. ‘We'll see,” and he wheeled his chair round to the desk and opened it. oe Nell saw him lift from it some papers se- e cured with a rubber band and taking one at ! random from the package he opened it and motioned the girl forward. ‘Sit down here and copy a little!” he went on, ‘‘Imay need a copyist a8 business is eee. Na looking up and | have an important matter Bit, VE on my hands,” He Nickel Nell obeyed and, pen in hand, was ready to show her skill. Leaning over her with his sharp nose near- ly touching her ear, Bolivar Brass, planting one of his attenuated fingers upon the paper, . drawled out: : ‘* Begin there and copy say about six lines. I’m a generous man andif I did promise to do the boy a favor, why, by Jupiter! [’!1 do it.” Nell looked at the sheet covered with scrawly lines and when the man’s finger was removed she dipped ber pen into the ink. The place designated was the beginning of a paragraph and the first word startled her. It wasa name she had just heard from Davy’s lips. | Hiram Honeybee! The girl’s hand shook so that she could hardly hold the pen, and fearing to begin with the quiver upon her she took a long breath and fell back a little. ) Pegs «ete ‘‘What’s the matter?” demanded Bolivar iy). Bo Brass. .‘‘ You look as though you saw @ §f ghost’s face on that paper. By Jehu! you're ~ allina tremble. What is it, 1 say?” He was leaning down and his eyes were |) the paragraph which had ‘it whitened Nell’s face, ee ‘‘Oh! I see! I didn’t intend to give you that piece of paper. I came across it at random; but, why should it affect you that— way?’ | . i Nell forgot herself. | ‘* Why, don’t you see that’s the name of Hiram Houeybee, the missing witness?” she — cried, looking up into the man’s face, - ‘The missing witness of what?’ was the ~~ quick retort.; ‘*Seems to me you’re med- _ | dling with somebody’s business, I guess I | don’t want a copyist of that sort. But, look here. You don’t want to tell anything out- side of this house. If you do you will wish — you had never seen the light of day! Do you hear that? You may go now.” Benton %, Nell shrunk from that face as she would ~ have shrunk from the Evil One. | BEY yh A moment later she stood on the sidewalk — with a tremor of fear at her heart and strange wonderment in her large blue eyes, ~ + Sees THE WOMAN WITH THE CANE, = 7} WHEN Nickel Nell gained the sidewalk ~~ 4) the last bit of daylight had departed and the = | lamps of New York threw their gleams § } on street and pavement. DA Sa In another part of the city at that very | hour stood ab old woman waiting for the = «| string of vehicles that blocked the crossing for a little time to pass and let Ben oe aan This creature was a remarkable person in i Ea, | ‘ 1. ie Te She did not appear like a beggar, though o£. wan and her garments none of | of refinement in her / ot the best. ; There was a look ; . a ven J , at Ns Foy zl 5 ee he : : . eee ee tit: , ; ‘4 : Ta one hand che carried a cane, such ag _ . 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