Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 907 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

oan * _ that lie down your neck ete _ you!” declared the tough. Reddy Rusher, the Bell-boy Detective. It dawned upon him that whoever had been in the room had blown out the light, and that he was there. How was he to get out? The sport and Robbins were both talking behind him, and he dared not go that way- ‘*Don’t fear, Johnny; don’t fear! Can the mother of a lad like you be too soft to look out for herself?” ‘‘ Wal, you are quite a hustler fer cash, I will admit. Don’t let Hearty Jack muzzle you, though. Have you heard any rumpus Nothing being left him but to move on, | in the house to-night?’ he did so. Still in the dark he found an- other door and pushed through. ‘* Poktrish as a tomb!’ he thought, ‘* but a real detective would do just this.” He suddenly caught sight of a gleam of light at one side, and as all of New York could not be wicked, he decided to make a break in that quarter and see what would come of it, He found a door and pushed it open. He saw another room beyond with a single occupant—an old woman who sat ata table with something spread out in front of her. She was examining it closely, but Reddy was not disposed to let time go to waste. | ‘*Ma’am,” he cried, ‘‘ I want ter git out!’ The old woman did not stir, and he saw no sign that he was heard. He tried it again. ‘* How can | get out?’ Still the old woman bent over the table, and he advanced none at all in his business. ‘*Deef as a perleccman when he is told a saloon is open on Sunday. Shall I punch her in the twenty-fifth rib? Hi! there’s footsteps in the hall. Vl skip!” — Reddy’s.eyes were sharp, and, believing his enemies were close after him, he took in the whole scene and acted with celerity. He dodged into a closet at one side. It was not the kind of arefuge he wanted, for it left him penned up, but anything was better than capture, He pulled the door to, and just then the other door opened. In walked a man whose appearance was such that Reddy had no trouble in sizing him up immediately. ‘*A tough from Toughville!” he murmur- ed, looking out of his lair. - : The new-comer was certainly all that the Rusher claimed, unless his looks did him great injustice. He had a face seamed and scarred, and hard of aspect, and his whole manner was of the swaggering, bull-dog sort. years ol, but he looked as if he was well advanced in crime, This man came to the - table at once and brought his fist down on it with a resounding thump. ‘* Wake up!” he almost shouted. The old woman stirred and fixed a pair of water eyes on him, , ‘Ts it you, deary?” she asked. - ** Who in thunder do you think et is?— Rothschild?” * **No, no, deary; but I was thinkin’—” ‘“You are always thinkin’. Stop et! Let up onet! Checse et! Your head is as thick now as a barrel. Do some more thinkin’ an’ et will get solid. How’s things?” ‘* Nicely, deary; nicely. He has been here, an’ he left this.” . She flaunted a bill before his eyes, and he, as well as Reddy Rusher, caught sight of a greenbiuck on the paper. Reddy under- stood then what had so held the old woman’s attention, The tongh snatched the bill. ‘“Hi!” he cried, ‘‘a fiver! struck et rich.” : | | ‘* He gave et tome; he wanted his secrets kept.” _ “*Hully gee! but we kin keep ’em at that rate all correct. This fiver will buy good ‘beer, So Hearty Jack has been with you?” “Yes, deary.’ ‘He ig willin’ ter pay fer keepin’ our - mouths shut, eh?” , **He has to,” croaked the old woman. _ ‘He don’t want ter, an’ he says he ain’t got much aig oT 7 “Stuff! Moll Dunn, ef you let him cram will land one on Say, you've . “ore - 4 ee ini, ie Pal . ) : In brief, he was less than twenty-five. start cautiously, an ne i ES rr —-,—“<zi‘i“_air-rd—Cm ‘*Not a sound, Johnny.” Reddy grinned. The-old woman was not deaf, but she seemed to have the faculty of sinking out of Jife, as it were, so fully that she might as well have had noears. Her hopeful son tossed the bill back on the table, me ‘* You may keep et, old woman,” he said. ‘* Has business been good to-night?” He pulled two watches and a purse out o his pocket. , ‘*Glue ha eyes on them!” he directed, ‘*Ho, ho! Where did you get them, Johnny?” ‘“Where do you suppose? A gang of Dutchmen had a chowder party to-day, and when they got back ter the city they marched up Eighth aveny with music. Ha, ha! I didn’t lose tie chance ter prove m name good, an’I salted the guys who fol- lered the percesh.” | The fellow struck an attitude and sung in a hoarse voice something which seemed to be an original composition: ‘* My name is Chowder Johnny, feed on greenhorn money; When chowder parties las the street, I yank the purses cool an’ neat; As long as guys are on the sod, An honest man may have his wad!” Moll clapped her hands, ‘‘ Beautiful, beautiful!’ she exclaimed, ‘«‘ Johnny, you are a born poet, an’ you ought ter git appointed fer this deestrick. Keep et up, my lad, an’ you'll be equal ter your father,” ‘‘Ho’s in Sing Sing, I believe.” ‘Ah! but he was a noble mau, an’ he never got ketched while his eyes held out. A noble man, an’ a born thief!” ‘* My lamps are good, an’ I mean ter keep them so, Moll, Iam goin’ ter bed. Sec that you don’t make no noise around here.” Johnny walked into another room and dis- appeared. Moll returned to her adoration of the bank-note, while the Rusher shook his head. He had passed all his life in a rough vicinity, but he was impressed with the be- lief that Chowder Johnny and his mother were a little ahead of the average in wicked- ness and moral depravity, _ ** What’s all this talk about Hearty Jack?” he wondered. ‘‘ That is the name by which Israel Robbins called his cousin that he ac- cused ©’ robbin’ him of his bag of gold. Moll said Hearty Jack had a secret which he aid her to keep. I seem ter be gettin’ deep nter this game. Yes, an’ I am deep in trouble, too.” I uen Reddy wished to leave the house, but he wus not sure he could do it. Moll was in the way, and it was, he feared, hoping for too much to expect her to be oblivious again, ‘* Wonder where Israel, the other feller an’ the kid are?” | This question wis so potent in the Rusher’s mind that he became more and more unwill- ing to remain in captivity, and decided to make a stir for liberty at once. Moll brooded over the bill and delighted her eyes by looking at it. He concluded to run if he had to, Out of the closet he stepped—‘‘ soft and steady,” he thought. ° | | Moll did not raise her head, so on he went toward the door, but with eyes fixed on the id woman. ai ‘The Rusher reached the door; his hand on the knob turned it! the way wasclear! He passed out into the hall and closed the door after him. ee “Hi! that was rich luck!” he thought. ‘Now ter git out!” fst A : r 3 ty Fr t » . 7 : a ee ‘ we ie? : > poe pe: ¢ * r r . . AS AS Pare! os Oe es ; y a° 7 ee : "T. Lae ni ~ 4 * z\ teen ye ae St) tS ae oe 7 x ff te. Se 4 ~§* r CF ii eee un 4 M4 oO 2 : >. Ties A ; r aw. pont 4 te . as! i . - - * «1 Rus te" 7 af ve He was now again in the dark, but he re- membered the way and pressed or with care: | until he reached the front hall. This done, he proceeded down the stairs, and soon the: street was reached in safety. The only person in sight was a small boy, who had a quantity of roasted chestnuts in a. big tin dish. Acting on s sudden :mpulse, the Rusher accosted him. ‘*Say, how long have you been here?” he asked, ebruptly. ‘* Sence six o'clock,” was the business-like reply. ‘¢ Seen anybody leave this house lately ?” ‘* Yes; two men an’ a boy.” ‘Hi! that so? Which way did they go?” ‘Down that way,” and the boy pointed away from the Bowery side. ‘* How long ago?” * Bout half an hour,” This was enough; there was no use of pur- suing. PY ‘‘ Gimme five cents’ worth 0’ chestnuts,” he directed. ! The purchase made, he ambled off home- ward, eating nuts and thinking. | “ve got inter this thing up ter my waist,’ |he meditated. I ain’t on.ter all o’ et, by along shot. Be Isracl an’ Hearty Jack both crooked? Who is the boy? What do. -they want ter do with him? What is the mystery of all this? Crickey! but [ll find out ef [ can; I'll jest pipe the whole lot o’ them until I get onter it. I will so!” This resolution quickened his pace, and he held his head proudly erect, wondering how it would seem to see newspaper articles con- cerning Reddy Rush, detective! If the ar- ticles were as big as his ambition he would surely make a sensation. Poe |) Reaching the hotel, he was about to try te pass Briggs quietly, when Eunice came fly - ing down in an excited way. ‘*Oh!” she cried, breathlessly, ‘“‘ they arc at it up in Robbins’s room again!” ‘‘ What now?” demanded riggs. ‘‘T don’t know, but there is somebody with Robbins, and a row is on. Oh! I do fear there will be murder done,” ‘¢T will see about this!” exclaimed Briggs, angrily. “So will I!’ and Reddy sped along by the clerk’s side, : They had enough to hasten them, for, as. Eunice had said, there was certainly a “* row on” in the room filled by Israel Robbins, What was it? CHAPTER IV. HEARTY JACK, THE SAILOR, WHEN the upper hall was reached the noise was still vociferous, and Reddy Rusher turned a gloomy face toward Briggs. ? ‘* Nobody ain't killed yet!” he lamented. Reaching Israel’s room, he flung the deor open. — ‘‘ Hi! the gailor chap!” escaped Reddy’s lips. : A man was there in full sailor dress, and, — as he was another of the guests of the hotel, they did not need an introduction. Isracl’s assumed cousin. | Despite this, there did not seem to be any | kinsman-like good will, at that moment. Hearty Jack was sad of face, if not frighten- ed, and Israel looked angry and wild-eyed. It was ‘What's guin’ on?” demanded Briggs, 9 _ sharply. | | Israel leveled his long finger at Jack. ‘That man is a thief!” he exclaimed. ‘© No, no!” protested the sailor, — ‘“‘ He is; he has stole my bag af gold—” sé No, no!” - ‘© And I demand that you make him give seen it back,” | give “T did nottouch—” ae Ae Isay you did! You did, youdid! You id—” ; Zi ) Thus far the cousins were having itall te. §f themselves, but Briggs had cometheretoTe- store order. | sy Zz “oe . ' at? ys ,? w . 4 i \ , i ‘ed : ; ] 5, , ."y + va, rts Fy *. ‘ > ‘ » #3 53 : ; * : "s - s Tpit y ae Mey f » shart ." Pupe ait vt oy ny hee ot") ae P * i tre tl oa! r ‘ hie . $V) » mt AM —'o = uy 4 _ « comicbooks:; =. U ‘ re e ‘ahh | ,. ob - nn She ers. : o o > » Si — ° 7 “ti et y : ' . ‘ "s - ’ ‘ e . oval a é ny » A “al & Putad 4X * . | ‘ : : fe ne Shes lant +4 4 aif ; OT ee