Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 908 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

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THAT MYSTERIOUS DOUBLE. **WrL, Foxey, you have news for me?” said Nat as he joined the Ferret in the Park, ““T have, Nat, and I guess the fellow is onto you.” » Ny Double?” ‘““That same.” “You saw the driver?” rT did,” | ** What did he say?” “* Well, I braced him when 1 saw him mome back on the stand, and asked him who the cove was he drove away. ‘‘He at once asked meif I knew him, and I said that I did, and we was on the same game, ‘‘T could see that the man had something to tell,.so I slipped a two dollar bill into his hand and said: ‘© *« Now you can tell me what word he left with you?’”’ Well?” ‘‘He seemed to at once think I was the fellow’s pal, for he said: «Well, maybe you'll understand better than I do, byt he stopped at a down-town bar-room and gave me a two dollar-bill telling me to go in and buy him some cigars. ““<T went, leaving him in the cab, and when I came back he was not there, but this was pinned upon the seat, and the cabman showed me a slip of paper upon which was written: “*«Keep the cigars and change for your fare. ‘**T am a detective, so if you are asked at the hotel where you drove me, say to the Christopher Street Ferry.’ ”’ “Then he did not leave town, Foxey?” ‘“‘T guess not,” : **He is a detective, he says, and left the «cab in that mysterious way. ‘* Well, as you say, he must be shadowing me, and Ill have to change my rig. ‘‘Now, Foxey, you make friends with that cabman and tell him to keep an eye out for my Double, and you be on duty outside of the hotel.” ‘Tf you have to find me, my room is one- thirty-three. Flip and Keno will also be stopping there to shadow me and see if Lam noticed.” ‘*F understand, cap’n.” ‘‘T will’go up to the rookery and change my clothes and make-up, or rather bring another rig down to the hotel with me, to change there, if I have to.” _ “Better change, cap’n, for you are cer- tainly being shadowed, and by one who is your very Double, as you now appear.” “Yes, and Pl — the Queeh of my hav- ing a Double, and also our friend and ally who serves us so well, | ‘‘Now, as it is getting late, I will go to the Rookery,” and New York Nat walked away, more impressed with the fact that he surely had a Double, and one who said he was a detective, than he cared to admit. ‘* After so cleverly concealing the identity of the Boy Ferrets for so long, and mystify- ing the chief of the Secret Service as to who 7 New York Nat’s Double. why the Boy Ferrets, their chief and Mascot Queen are simply no good,” answered Nat, and he soon after left the house and took the Elevated cars for the cottage where his sister Olive lived. The Mascot Queen always had a warm welcome for her brother, and alter the two bad had dinner, for Nat often took his meals at the cottage, he told her of his mysterious Double. Olive was decidedly worried at what she had heard, and at once said: ‘i'll shadow him, too, Nat, and go to the hotel to-morrow, so you'll find me there as Mrs, Olivia Chandler, of Quebec, and Ill make up as a dear old lady, and maid, for when not Mrs. Chandler, l’ll be Olive, the maid, and see what I can discover, but | ndvise you not to disguise yourself, but re- main as you are, for if your Double is shad- owing you he must have you to shadow, and the boys and myself will shadow him.” ‘You are right, Olive, as you always are, and I'll remain as I am, especially as I am there to shadow two men who are as great scamps as ever went unhung.” Aftera long talk with Olive, Nat took his leave, went to the old mansion he made his retreat, and packing a large valise with dis- guises, to have ready in case he should need them, started to the hotel. . It was late when he arrived, and he went straight to his room, and sauntered down to breakfast about nine o’clock, to have Flip pass by him with a peculiar look on his ace, ‘Tt’s all right, Flip. I’m Nat.” » ‘‘ Good! I didn’t see your pink, as pro- mised; but your Double was here last night, and dogged me, unless it was you.” ‘¢ No, I was not here.” ‘*Then it was your Double.” ‘¢T’}l look at the register—come to my room in an hour,” and Nat passed on into the ‘| breakfast-room,” _-_eoo- CHAPTER VIII. A FERRET’S HONOR. No matter what was upon his mind to wor- ry him, Nat never neglected taking care of himself, and he went in to breakfast with the Bupeinte of one in perfect health. fe saw the head waiter glance at him ina peculiar way, as he showed him to his seat, and the one who took his order said: ‘You want another breakfast, sir, just like the one I brought you before?” ‘* When?” ‘¢ Half an hour ago,” ‘You mean to say that you brought me breakfast half an hour ago?” ‘* Yea, sir.” ‘“T guess not,’ ‘*Maybe it was your twin brother, sir,” said the waiter. ‘« Perhaps so, ‘‘ How did he look?” “ Just like you, sir,” “ Clothes and all?” ‘Yes, sir, and you—I mean he gave me fifty cents fee,” ‘ Ah!” said Nat when given this hint. ‘Well, my twin brother does not do my eating, so you will bring me a good break- ‘‘T’ll go to the florist’s and get the pink, Foxey, and come to my room after awhile,” and Nat passed on. He soon entered with a pink in his button- hole, and as he went near the office the clerk called out: ‘* A letter for you, Mr, Norton.” Nat took the letter, glanced at it, and saw that it was mailed from an out of town point. He knew that it was not intended for him, for there was no one to write to him there except Olive, and her letter would have been mailed in the city, The letter was for his Double he knew, and the temptation was strong within him to open it. But, New York Nat was the soul of honor, Tle had never done a mean act knowingly, and he would not gain information regarding his Double by breaking the law. Many bold ‘acts he had been found to do in the work he followed, but he had tried al- ways to be on the right side. So, as these thoughts rushed rapid] through his mind, he handed the letter bac to the clerk and said with a smile: “Tam expecting no mail, sir, and this letter is doubtless intended for my Double and namesake, wuo must have returned to the hotel.” ‘Ah, yes; he returned last night and I mistook him for you, and then told him that he had a Double, and who was also his name- sake, ‘‘Hf[e seemed surprised, and wanted me to point you out to him.” ‘*Tndeed!” “Yes: But Iam getting on to the racket, Mr. Norton,” ‘‘ Tlow is that, sir?” ‘Well, I'm aclose reader of human na- ture, you know, and can see that you and the other Mr. Norton are twin brothers and are Yale students, down in New York for a lark—see?” yes,” “You are having your fun in mystifying everybody, and yet I see through it all,’ “So you do; but, don’t give it away, for you are alone in the secret,” whispered Nat, and with a wink he turned away and saun- tered up to the ladies’ parlor. He glanced inand was turning away when an elderly lady called out to him; ‘Did you kindly ascertain for me, sir, about my trunk?” Nat saw a lady dressed in black, slightly stooped in the shoulders, and wearing a lace cap, gold spectacles, and with gray hair. She looked like a lady of sixty in good circumstances, ‘‘] beg pardon, madam, but you did not ask me to see about your trunk.” “Yes, sir, an hour ago, when I met you in the hall.” ‘* No, it was not I.” “Then it must have .been your twin brother, or ghost, sir, formy eyes are pretty good, yet.” ‘‘Toubtless my twin brother, madam, but I will gladly see about your trunk for you.” ‘No, itis no doubt in my room now, Nat.” ‘* Olive!” ‘Sure, but I saw ycur Double and so —> ses a Md eM spoke to him about my trunk. ‘“ He is the exact image of you, Nat, even at close scrutiny.” ‘And Thad a chance to ferret out who he was by opening a letter I knew was for him.” ) ‘But of course you could not, Nat, as, though a detective, you have honor, and if a spy on other people, you need not be dis- honorable ” 5 ‘* No, Olive: when I have to act dishonor~ ably to be a detective, I will give up Secret Service work,” and Nat turned as he saw that there was some cause of excitement in the hotel. f his Unknown Detectives are, can it be possi- ble that the secret is known, and we are really to be unmasked?” said Nat, to him- self, as he walked along up-town. Going first to the home of Sherman Can- field he xcquainted him with the fact that he had a Double, and the mysterious behavior of his impersonator with the cabman, Well, Nat, we must run him down, and that you can do. I will drop in at the hotel this evening, and ask for this mysterious ee Double of yours, Mr..N. Norton, of Connecti- ut,” said Sherman Canfield. ? “YT wish you would, sir, and 1’!l put Olive on the track, too, and if he outwits us all, . ers ' ~ sare. — A” +, tu = Q fast, if you want the fee duplicated.” The waiter hurried off, and Nat felt that his Double was indeed like him, and that he must be quickly found outas to who he was and what it all meant, Finishing a hearty breakfast, he went down tothe office, where Foxey came near him but did not speak. . ‘Ah! I must secure the pink for my but- tonhole, Foxey,‘’ said Nat. ‘“Then it’s you?” “Ves.” | “TIT thought it must be, for your Double sent out awhile ago, with Keno shadowing im,” ae = a “= oF Celpss “i = . _ 2 FE ad . Pe.“ T eyes tek: ae 9 i a2 re 7. an = ~- Pa ’ - eT" beg me ao. > ~— - ~~ ™ ; > ~ 2. i 42 . a iy =a. ° * 7 ik : rs Serie Vers * va ‘ _- — a) ae - Loe eer bts owe + - —— oe Ye & ’ vw ss as 4 * we ef oD ee ° Rae — fae a sn -— it a —s~ 7 PP * » <a Oe del biny-, 9% * * . , 4 * | dy ‘ ‘ — a | Lats : . 7 aea' ad oe cae